A Response to Councilmember Sanderford’s Press Release
Submitted by:? Kathleen Lockwood, Murphy Resident

Mr. Sanderford"s Press Release on the Messenger’s website is lacking the facts.? PISD does not bus kids within a 2 mile radius anywhere in PISD, unless they meet the "Fair Guidelines and Procedures".? He is misleading the public in a big way with his article.??

Currently the students are getting free bus service to Murphy Middle School because they meet the unsafe guidelines because there are no sidewalks along Murphy Road.? After the road is widened, there will be sidewalks, which will qualify it as a safe road to school, ending "free" busing.?? Mayor Baldwin is not changing anything already in place, but is giving the kids within the restricted 2 miles a safer way to school!? Mr. Sanderford is? either lying for political gain, or HE failed to do the research on the subject, and simply decided to attack the Mayor.? Which is it Mr. Sanderford?? You can find this information on the PISD website under the transportation section.
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Mr. Mayor, thank you for taking the initiative to get our city funding to help with projects.? As a citizen I appreciate your efforts.?
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As for Mr. Sanderford wanting to review the application before it was submitted, micro-managing the effort to get funding, and issuing his own press release...did he take that same hard stance when our City Manager and Chief were running a muck in our city bringing in criminals to our streets for a TV show?? I must have missed that press release!
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Here is the transportation guideline and the "Fair Guidelines and Procedures"? straight from the PISD website:?

The State of Texas defines the parameters in determining whether or not a student is declared eligible for regular education school bus transportation. In general, a student must live 2-miles or more from their assigned school to be eligible for regular education school bus transportation at no additional charge. This is measured from the midpoint of your property to the bus loading area adjacent to the door at your student's assigned school by using the shortest possible distance on public roads.

For students who are not eligible for regular transportation to their assigned school, Plano ISD offers a Fare Busing program on a space available, area available, first come first served basis. The cost is $35 per month per student. Enrollment instructions are listed below.

Important note: There are 14 of our elementary schools and 1 middle school where all students live within 2-miles of the school. Because of this, these schools do not offer home-to-school transportation, including Fare Busing in most cases, for any regular education students. The schools not offering regular education home-to-school transportation are Andrews, Bethany, Christie, Daffron, Davis, Forman, Haun, Hedgcoxe, Hightower, Hughston, Mathews, Meadows, Memorial, Robinson and Thomas.
1.??? Read the Fare Busing guidelines. FareBusing Guidlines 2006-2007?? PDF file"
2.??? Print and complete the Fare Busing enrollment form. FareBusingEnrollmentform?
3.??? Submit the enrollment form via fax to (469) 752-0781
4.??? Allow our department at least 5 business days to process your enrollment and determine whether you are eligible and if we have room on a bus in your area to accommodate your request.
5.??? We will call you when the process is complete. If we confirm that we can accommodate your
6.??? Although we will make every attempt to establish bus service in time for the first day of school, in some cases we must delay placement for 3-10 school days to determine the eligible student load on the bus in your area.
7.??? student in the program, you will be required to make a minimum first month payment of $35.00 to initiate service by using the Plano ISD PayPAMS system or by delivering a cashier's check or money order to the Transportation Services office.

For more information, please call
(469) 752-0992
Teamwork for Excellence
P L A N O
Independent School District
FARE BUSING GUIDELINES
& PROCEDURES

The Fare Busing service was established to offer fee based bus transportation to students who are not otherwise eligible for regular transportation due to living less than 2miles from their assigned school.
This service is managed on a space available, area available, first come, first served basis. Fifteen of our schools do not offer regular education transportation of any kind including Fare Busing due to all students living within 2 miles of the respective school. Enrollment must take place each year for each student.

The fee for Fare Busing is $35.00 per calendar month or portion of month per student and is payable in advance of riding. Payment is due by the 20th of the proceeding month. For instance, the fee for service during the month of October must be paid no later than September 20th . If payment is not received when due, the student will be removed from the program for the following month. A new application must be submitted which may affect the placement status of the student. Our department is unable to send reminders for you to pay. Please take the time each month to pay for the following month.

Fare Busing students will be assigned to existing stops on bus routes as space and time allows. The availability of seats varies with each route. The Transportation Services Department may also establish pickup points in neighborhoods with no existing busing, but any additional stops could be more than one mile from the school. Bus routes will be added where feasible and with Board approval.

Students in the Fare Busing Program must follow the same safety rules and are subject to the same disciplinary steps as other students. The driver may not accept payment for the Fare Busing Program this must be submitted to the Fare Busing Office or through the PayPAMS system accessed through www.pisd.edu.

Fare busing is only available to students attending schools within the student’ s Board approved school attendance boundary and not available to transfer students. Enrollment procedures:
1. Print and complete the Fare Busing Application.
2. Submit the application by fax to (469) 7520781.
3. Allow our staff at least 5 business days to process your application and determine whether you are eligible and if we have room on a bus in your area to accommodate your request. Although we will make every attempt to establish bus service in time for the first day of school, in some cases we must delay placement for 310 school days to determine the eligible student load on the bus in your area.
4. We will call you when the process is complete. If we confirm that we can accommodate your student in the program, you will be required to make a minimum first month payment of $35.00 to initiate the service by using the electronic PayPAMS located at www.pisd.edu or by delivering a cashier’s check or money order to the Transportation Services office.

Transportation Services Department
600 Seabrook, Plano, Texas 75023
(469) 752-0780
Fax (469) 7520781

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