Sweetwater Union High School District cuts bus stops, including 20 in San Ysidro

In a move intended to cut costs, the Sweetwater Union High School District has decided to eliminate 29 stops along bus routes for four high schools in the upcoming school year, including 20 stops in San Ysidro.

A spokesman said the cash-strapped district projects savings of $500,000 as a result of the change, which will affect roughly 1,500 students who use the bus routes that serve Eastlake, Olympian, Otay Ranch and San Ysidro high schools. The district’s nine other high schools don’t offer bus service.

Transportation for students with special needs and middle school students will not be impacted.

Parents upset about the reduction in bus stops turned out to a school board meeting this week to object to the decision, which they said will ultimately affect the safety of students who will be forced to walk to school. Parents also said they were blindsided and that the district failed to explain how its decision will save money, considering that parents pay $400 a year per student for a bus pass.

“We pay for those buses,” said Sara McIntosh, whose daughter attends Olympian High School, “so why would those be taken away from us?”

In a notice posted to its website and emailed to parents on May 17, the district said the move will align with a policy approved in 2012 that requires the district to provide transportation within 3.5 miles of schools and also help with “budget planning” for the 2019-20 school year.

The district, which serves about 39,000 students at 11 middle schools and 13 high schools, must cut at least $19.5 million from its budget for the upcoming year to make ends meet. The figure represents about 5 percent of the district’s general fund.

District spokesman Manny Rubio said in an interview the fee for bus passes are subsidized. He estimated that the cost for bus transportation is between $900 and $1,000 per student.

“We understand the concern that’s out there, but we also have to be mindful that there’s a need to reduce costs,” Rubio said. “It’s getting to the point where it’s very costly.”

During the school board meeting on Tuesday, parents said they pay for the service to ensure their children get to school safely and on time.

McIntosh said her family lives 3.2 miles away from the school in the Otay Ranch area of Chula Vista. Should her daughter be forced to walk to school, she would need to leave their home at 6:30 a.m. to arrive by the 7:30 a.m. start time, and perhaps walk in the dark during daylight savings time, McIntosh said.

She added that the route includes the busy Olympic Parkway.

“It’s a safety hazard,” she said. “It’s a matter of time before our children are getting hit and they’re getting hurt.”

Another parent added: “The reason we pay to have them ride the bus is to keep them safe.”

Other parents spoke out specifically against the reduction in 20 stops on the route that serves San Ysidro High School students, saying the low-income and border community was the most affected.

Outside San Ysidro High School on Friday, a small group of parents staged a protest.

One woman held a sign that sent a message in Spanish: “Leaders of the district, do you all walk 3 miles with backpacks?”

In reducing the number of stops in San Ysidro, the district said it took into account the completion of long-awaited upgrades to a half-mile stretch of Otay Mesa Road that extends between San Ysidro high and middle schools. Rubio said no other high school was provided “the level of service” that was provided to San Ysidro High School.

The $16 million reconstruction project added a sidewalk and bike lanes, as well as safety features such as lighting and guardrails. The road opened on May 13.

“We made some exceptions ... because we knew that was needed,” Rubio said. Now, he said, the district wants to align its transportation service with the 2012 policy in order to save money.

The stops that will be eliminated are at:

Eastlake High School
Agua Vista Drive and Babbling Brook Road
Paseo Vera Cruz and Mount Miguel Road
Proctor Valley Road and Lane Avenue
Duncan Ranch Road and Stone Gate Street

Olympian High School
Olympic Parkway and Olympic Vista Road
Winding Walk Street and Discovery Falls Drive
Santa Rosa Drive and Santa Paula Drive
Winding Walk Street and Evening Star Street

Otay Ranch High School
Wildaur Street and Diamond Court

San Ysidro High School
Averil Road and Sunset Lane
West San Ysidro Boulevard and Averil Road
Smythe Avenue and Avenida De La Madrid
Avenida De La Madrid and Avenida De La Cruz
Athey Avenue and Caithness Drive
Beyer Boulevard and Del Sur Boulevard (two stops)
Sunset Lane and Smythe Avenue
East San Ysidro Boulevard and bridge under Interstate 805
East Park Avenue and East Hall Avenue
Willow Elementary School near red curb
Avenida De La Madrid and Alaquinas Drive
Remington Hills Drive and Carbine Way
Sunset Lane and Smythe Avenue
Willow Elementary (two stops)
West Park Avenue and East Hall Avenue
Motel 6 at East Calle Primera
Sipes Lane and Anella Road (two stops)