BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Buffalo Public School families could see a shift in school start and end times for the 2023-2024 school year.
School leaders say this would alleviate a school bus driver shortage that has plagued the district and school families with delays getting to and from school.
But some city school parents don't want the bell times to change.
“I'm not too happy with the time changes. I really wish they would have spoken with parents more about it to see how it will affect them,” Le’Candice Durham, school parent. “So I'm not happy at all.”
Durham, who has three children at the Dr. Lydia Wright School PS #89 in Buffalo, is reacting to this resolution from Buffalo Schools Superintendent Dr. Tonja Williams that calls for a “Three-Tiered Bell” schedule at city schools.
The district says this is in response to the bus driver shortages facing the district.
But Durham fears changing school start and end times might increase “absenteeism”.
“I don't think they're really gonna solve the problem. I do think it will create more issues such as attendance issues, especially with the children who have to be in school at 7:20, You know if you missed that bus and if your parent is already at work, nine out of 10 the children gonna end up staying at home,” remarked Durham/
Right now, a majority of Buffalo schools start at either 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. Under the “Three-Bell” proposal start times would be shifted to 7:30 a.m., 8:20 a.m. or 9:10 a.m.
As for proposed end times, a majority of the schools currently end the day at 2:55 or 3:55 p.m., but for those schools, a new end time would be shifted to 2:25., 3:15 or 4:05 p.m.
At the Lydia Wright School students would be shifting their start time from the current 9 a.m. to 9:10 a.m.
“I have to be to work by 8:30 a.m., so normally I leave about eight, and right now if the bus is going to come later that means they're going to be at home longer without me being there. Right now, I kind of push it to stay home with them to just make sure they get on the bus. But if I stay home any longer, I will be late every single day to work,” noted Durham.
The district tells me the “Three-Bell system will use the existing bus fleet but will shorten student bus rides and expand transportation to meet the needs of those students who participate in extended learning or athletic activities."
The bell time change was approved by teachers when the Buffalo Teachers Federation ratified a new contract last month. The union says teachers would be notified of any change on or before June 1st.
The Buffalo School Board president tells me she expects the board to approve the plan at Wednesday night’s session, but for now, the greatest opposition appears to be from parents.
“I wish they could wait a little bit and include the families before they make any decision,” replied Durham.
7 News received the following statement from a Buffalo Public Schools' spokesperson in response:
"We heard the concerns of parents and other members of the Buffalo Public Schools community. That is why we used a process, including the Operation Sunrise Committee, that was inclusive and included a diverse range of voices, such as parents, to develop the three-bell solution."
