Amherst Schools Overhaul Bus Routes After Policy Drift
School Committee · Meeting of September 15, 2026
Amherst schools admit bus routes have drifted from policy, leaving kids arriving late. Superintendent Dr. Z told the School Committee the district has strayed from its 1.5-mile walking policy and same-day route changes, pushing some arrival times well past the 8:20 a.m. start; a "centralized walker pickup" model is under review.
The district closed fiscal 2026 with just 70 cents left in its budget, after absorbing an unplanned out-of-district special-education placement and translation costs that can top $4,000 per document. Administrators are requesting a new 1.0 FTE English Language Learner teacher at Crocker Farm, where staffing dropped from 2.7 to 2.0 teachers for the same 45 students, plus a 0.2 FTE literacy increase at Amethyst Brook; a vote is set for October 6. The committee also reviewed draft restraint and seclusion procedures amid a memorandum from two members citing families, including one from Pelham, who said investigators never contacted them.
Gifts totaling $2,070.07 were accepted 5-0.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 4,121 words
Source: the School Committee meeting of September 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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