CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is making changes for bus riders in a dozen magnet schools. 

Students who attend these schools, which are programs that specialize in certain areas, don’t have to live nearby in order to attend.

Currently, the school bus goes into these students’ neighborhoods to pick them up, which is usually within walking distance from their home. Next school year, most magnet bus riders will get picked up and dropped off collectively at a nearby non-magnet high school instead. 

The express stops will be mostly for magnet high schools. However, Northwest School of the Arts and Secondary Montessori at JT Williams, both of which have middle schools, will also be impacted. 

CMS Transportation Operations Director Jabar Duncan said the change comes from a reduction of $3.2 million in the transportation operating budget, which is only compounded by current staff shortages. 

In addition, he said the model will lead to shorter bus rides for these students. 

“We still want to provide transportation for all students at a high level,” Duncan said. “We had to put together a plan to have the least impact on all students.”

Roughly 5,200 students will experience a stop change, which, according to the district, makes up 5% of all bus riders. However, magnet bus riders make up 33% of the daily miles tracked throughout the district. 

“[This] is going to have a reduction in our costs: the daily miles, you have a reduction of price for buses, the fuel costs, the tires cost, the maintenance on CMS transportation so it’s an immediate impact,” Duncan said. 

Karen Flint is one parent opposed to the change. 

“We feel that this is being put unfairly on the backs of the parents of magnet students,” Flint said. 

The change will impact both of her children. They attend Northwest School of the Arts, a grades 6-12 magnet school specializing in arts education. 

Right now, their bus stop is a five-minute walk from home. 

“This is what education is supposed to be about. Everyone is supposed to have access,” Flint said. 

She said this bus stop has been helpful since she and her husband are full-time workers. 

“We’ve had periods of time when we only had one car, so we really relied on having her neighborhood pick ups,” Flint said. 

Next school year, the bus will pick them up and drop them off at Garinger High School, which is 2.5 miles away from their house.

She said their only option is to drive her children to the express stop. 

“We know a lot of parents can’t do that. We ourselves are not sure how often we are going to be able to do that. Our jobs are flexible but there are other times, we absolutely have to be at work,” Flint said. 

The bell for their school is also changing for Northwest School of the Arts next year, which she said adds to the challenge. 

“That’s a double whammy for us at Northwest,” Flint said. 

Transportation officials announced the change during a board of education meeting on Dec. 13. Since then, parents against the change have formed a Facebook group called Save Our Stops, which now has 182 members. 

Duncan said he understands some parents have concerns. Therefore, the district is working with parent groups, the Charlotte Area Transit System and organizations to help those facing barriers with the change. 

“We are working with you guys. We understand the challenge, but we want to provide alternatives for you,” Duncan said. 

Duncan added, while there are concerns for parents, some of them are grateful their children will spend less time on the bus. 

“Children are on the school bus, especially if they are coming from a further distance, they could be on the bus for two hours, right? Time is something you never back,” Duncan said. 

Flint said there could be other alternatives to reduce ride times. She now worries magnet schools will no longer be an option for everyone. 

“This is not school choice, this is a choice for people who can afford it, who have the time, who have vehicles,” Flint said. 

According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, parents can choose a different pick up and drop off express stop for their convenience. In addition, students can attend extracurricular activities at their express stop location. 

The district could add additional express stops based on feedback from parents. The district plans to complete the locations of express stops later this spring. CMS encourages parents to take their Express Stop Survey and reach out to them about the changes. 

The Wake County Public School System, which is the largest district in the state, uses express stops for most of their 50 magnet and early college schools. The model has been in place for 15 years in Wake County.

Currently there is only one school does not offer transportation, according to a spokesperson, and that is Crossroads Flex, a digital hybrid/blended learning high school for students who spend a considerable amount of time during regular school hours pursuing arts, sports and entrepreneurship.