School start times set to change so the district can run fewer buses

What happened

The superintendent told the School Committee that start times will have to change in 2026-2027 in order to run more efficient bus routes and reduce the number of buses, and that a consultant's study for the state had been reviewed but its results were not necessarily realistic. She suggested meeting parents, and the bus operator asked to be part of the conversation. The committee voted 6-1 to schedule a public workshop as soon as possible. No new times have been set.

Why it matters to families

Start times decide when children get up, when parents can get to work and how long a child is on a bus. The district is saying the change is coming, but has not yet said what the new times will be.

The evidence

The June 9, 2026 approved minutes record item 5.2, the superintendent's statement that time changes will have to occur in order to run more efficient bus routes, that there is not enough information yet on the extent of the changes, that the consultant study's results are not necessarily realistic, and the 6-1 vote to schedule a public workshop as soon as possible.

The source