On March 17, 2025, JCPS will reintroduce bus transportation for some schools and students. Manual will receive nine buses, though the buses will only be available to those in the free and reduced lunch program. Students who qualify have already been notified by Manual or the school district.
On March 10, Principal Dr. Michael Newman’s Crimson Update included information on the return of busing scheduled to begin on Monday.
In the morning, the buses will drop students off between Manual and Noe Middle School, in the same place that current bus riders are dropped off. In the afternoon, the buses will line up on Ray Baer Boulevard towards Cardinal Boulevard. Parents that arrive before the buses will be instructed to wait in lanes three and four of Ray Baer, which are closest to the football field. The buses will pull forward into lanes one and two, which are closest to the building. Once all the buses have arrived, parents will be allowed to wait behind the buses in lanes one and two. Car riders and bus riders will be dismissed at the same time.
This plan is the result of JCPS’ decision to reinstate busing for three schools and to free and reduced lunch students in an additional three schools, including Manual. The decision came after JCPS removed busing for all but two magnet schools in April of 2024, leading to a lawsuit and widespread backlash. Parents, community leaders and advocacy organizations, such as the NAACP, were concerned that removing bussing from traditional and magnet programs would raise equity challenges and lead to less diverse schools.
While all JCPS students can receive free meals at school, the free and reduced lunch program provides benefits for students from low income households. This new plan would allow those at the selected schools who faced transportation challenges to have access to buses, a step towards resolving some of the equity questions that came with cutting magnet busing. While many are happy to see this improvement in the bussing situation, some parents who have children in schools that have yet to have their buses returned aren’t as optimistic. However, when the plan was announced, Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio expressed hope that buses could be restored to more schools in the future.
