CCSD looks at modifications to school day in Athens

The Clarke County School District has formed a study committee to look at the possible modification of the start times for the 2023-2024 school year in Athens. The District is soliciting public input on start time proposals. Information is on the Clarke County School District website.

From the CCSD website…

CCSD has launched a study committee, comprised of school leaders and district-level staff, to consider the modification of school start and end times for the 2023-24 academic year.

The committee was formed in response to data that revealed the district is unable to provide high-level transportation service to all of our students under the current schedule. That data showed recent middle and high school morning on-time drop-off rates were 82% and 75% respectively, rates far below industry standards.

In taking a look at the current schedule, Shurod Swift, CCSD’s Director of Transportation, identified two challenges. The first is that, with the current two-tiered bus schedule (elementary and middle/high school) and dedicated routes for Classic City and the Athens Community Career Academy (ACCA), route times are stacked too closely together, which does not allow for any margin of error if there is an issue with a route or a student. Additionally, CCSD’s current model does not allow for flexibility when a bus driver resigns, is out with an absence, or on a day when there are a significant number of field trips scheduled. This situation is further exacerbated by a significant bus driver shortage being felt not only locally, but across the nation.

With those challenges in mind, the study committee considered several alternate schedules, with initial feedback heavily favoring two proposals that would allow high school students to maximize their instructional time with earlier start and end times than they currently observe. The earlier dismissal times in each of these options would also reduce the amount of time missed due to travel for extracurricular activities that currently require students to leave school early and miss instruction.

Although each proposed schedule presents pros and cons, CCSD is focused on providing a solution that best serves students and allows for maximum instructional time. The district is accepting feedback on these options through April 30, 2023, so that a final decision can be made in time for implementation at the start of the 2023-24 school year. Comments can be submitted to feedback@clarke.k12.ga.us.

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