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Permanent LinkMeeting Public Comments
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A bill for an act relating to the transportation to and from school of pupils participating in open enrollment.(See SF 485.)
Subcommittee members: Rozenboom-CH, Celsi, Gruenhagen
Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location: Room 315
Comments Submitted:
Download CommentsThe purpose of comments is to provide information to members of the subcommittee.
Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.
02-08-2023
Kaylee Uthe []
Passing this bill would mean the world to my husband and I. We had to open enroll our son to Ogden due to being in the SE Valley school district, only being not even approximately a mile north from the Ogden school district line. Our son would be on the bus for approximately 2 hours a day, which would cut down on time with family, homework, etc. also very hard for our family when it came to after school activity or sports, especially for my husband and I to make/support our son as we would want to. SE Valley is approximately 30 miles from us as to where Ogden is 14 miles. With my husband and I working in Boone and Ames, Ogden is the best fit for our family, not to mention we both went through Ogden School District. We would love for our child to be able to benefit from being able to ride the bus to Ogden and know we dont have to worry about transportation. Please think of all the families that your decision will affect today and pass this bill for us all!
02-08-2023
Whitney Miller []
Passing this bill would be beneficial for so many families. Right now I am preparing to register my soon to be 4 year old daughter in Ogden for preschool. After that she will be open enrolled in Ogden Schools. It is 12 minutes from home. I can't see in 2 years putting my 5 year old child on a bus before 7am to go to school for 8 hours and then another bus ride for over an hour. Having transportation to school closer to home means she will be bussed for less than that time. Young minds need sleep to be able to learn, but getting up before the sun doesn't help their growing minds because they have to be on a bus. After being on a bus for over 2 hours, school for 8 there is not much time left for home life. We as adults have a work/life balance, why do our children not deserve that? My tax dollars are going to a different district than my child will attend school in, they say the funding follows the student when it comes to transportation but right now there isn't that option, so still my tax dollars aren't where they should be. During inclement weather my child will be an hour away if attending the district where we are supposed to attend, while I know schools make the decisions fairly quickly when it comes to inclement weather, there are still risks and things can change at the drop of a hat. Please take this into consideration and see that so many families are struggling right now to get their children to school and some face risks of losing employment due to needing to rearrange work schedules to accommodate their children going to school.Imagine if this was your child, put yourself in my shoes, how would you feel if you had no option but to send your child to a school an hour away because that is the option you were given. Would you feel defeated? Would you be happy? Would you want better for your child? PLEASE think of the kids and the families!
02-08-2023
Amanda Williams []
I have been wanting this for the last 7 years as I have open enrolled my son to the Ogden School District since he was in Kindergarten. I worked in Boone for the first couple years and now in Ames. I had to pay extra for the before school program and rely on others to get my son after school from the bus. We only live about a mile from the Ogden School District line and have had to make arrangements to meet the bus. I would feel so much better if I knew he was being dropped off at home. With SEV being one of the largest school districts in the state, I cant imagine my son sitting on a bus for approximately 2 hours a day just to get back and forth to school. With the recent bill to help support children that need or want to go to private schools, this is along those same lines. We should have the choice and support to send our children to the school we feel is best and have transportation to help make this possible. I do believe there needs to be a reasonable limit but it should be an option for those who need it. I want you to know how grateful I am that this is even being considered and hope you will consider passing this bill through.
02-08-2023
Kelly Merritt []
This bill is very important to our community and many others across the state. As a member of the Ogden School Board, I can appreciate the hesitation to allow neighboring districts into another zone. However, so many students in our district would be on the bus for hours a day if they attended their resident district. Making the best decision for their students, often forces parents into a bind regarding transportation. While keeping so many factors in mind that may prevent support of this bill perhaps its time to simply do what is best for kids. As a board member, an educator, and a mother I ask you to support this bill and help districts like ours do what is best for ALL students!
02-09-2023
Emily Widmann []
Passing this bill will be so helpful to many families. Our family could really benefit from this we have been adjusting for rides for our son for 7 years now. This would be a great thing for rural communities with open enrolled students.
02-09-2023
Joy Pals []
We currently have 2 of our soon to be 3 children open enrolled in Ogden. We live at a rural Ogden address and are 1/4mi north and 1/2mi west of the Ogden School District. Our children would be on the school bus for over 2hrs a day if they were to attend our actual school district not to mention an extreme difficulty for them to be involved in after school activities because of the distance for us to drive to and from. We are only 6min from the Ogden Schools. We would definitely utilize the bus to Ogden if it was able to stop at our house. It would be a great blessing.