Hundreds of Lakewood students lose bus service days before school starts
Luis Ortiz Jr., an incoming sophomore at Lakewood High School, is among the students impacted by the change. His father said he received an email this week that informed him that his son would no longer be able to ride the bus to and from school.
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More than 300 Lakewood students will lose school bus service this year because the school district lost funding for courtesy busing, which has forced families to find alternative transportation just days before classes begin.
Luis Ortiz Jr., an incoming sophomore at Lakewood High School, is among the students impacted by the change. His father said he received an email this week that informed him that his son would no longer be able to ride the bus to and from school.
"Eight days, how can they do this to us?" said Luis Ortiz Sr.
The change means Luis will have to find another ride or walk to school when his father is unable to drive him. The trip from the family's apartment complex to Lakewood High School takes about 25 to 30 minutes on foot.
"Right now, it's not too bad to walk, especially on Saturday, but during the week is bad with traffic and the accidents that happen with the cars," Ortiz Sr. said. "The weather is great to walk now, but the wintertime can be really brutal."
The transportation change applies to students in kindergarten through eighth grade who live less than two miles from their school and high school students who live less than 2.5 miles away. Under New Jersey law, transportation for students who live within those distances is considered courtesy busing and is not required.
According to an attorney for the Lakewood School District, Lakewood Township previously paid for courtesy bussing. However, the township has stopped funding the service and the district's council said the school system cannot afford to cover the cost on its own.
"A lot of questions. It's like something's not adding up," said Ortiz Sr..
The change comes as the New Jersey Department of Education moves forward with its takeover of the Lakewood School District. The state initiated the takeover earlier this year, citing financial mismanagement.
Despite the setback, the Ortiz family said they plan to continue advocating for a solution.
A Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Sept. 23 and Ortiz Sr. hopes to address district officials directly.
"I'm going to try and speak to them to see if they can change things," he said.
