Lee County Schools cut bus routes for 9 high schools, impacting 900 students

LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — Lee County Schools is eliminating certain bus routes for nine high schools starting next school year to reduce long ride times.

WINK News first reported in January that some Lee County high school students were spending up to an hour and a half on the bus. Some students were getting picked up as early as 3:43 a.m.

To address the issue, the district is shrinking transportation zones for nine high schools. The change will impact around 900 students next fall.

"In January, the schools were made aware of it, so that when the open enrollment period, which was Jan. 16 to Feb. 27, those families would be making educated choices about what schools they wanted their children to go to," Rob Spicker, public information officer for Lee County School District, said. "By no means did we eliminate the choice options available to them. We just reduce the amount of available transportation."

Families can still choose which school their child attends. However, if the school is outside the new, smaller zone, they will have to find their own way to get there.

One parent said transportation was already a struggle.

"I just ended up driving them to school, which was a hassle, but it just became necessary because it was impossible to get the bus," Cassie Cross, a former Lee County parent, said. "I sent my kids back to Orlando at the end of winter break, I was like, this is just not working."

The district notified schools of the changes in January to allow families to make informed decisions during the open enrollment period.