Letter: RPS won't offer bus rides home to elementary students in after-school programs due to budget cuts
In a letter sent to families last week, a city official announced that Richmond Public Schools will not provide transportation home from after-school programs for elementary school students during the upcoming school year.
“We understand that many families have relied on this service in previous years, and we recognize the impact that this change may have on you,” wrote Eva Colen, senior policy advisor for the city’s Office of Children & Families.
“To allow you as much time as possible to make alternative arrangements to transport your child home from after-school programming, we are sharing this update as soon as we could.”
Transportation will not be provided specifically for after-school programs offered by the YMCA and the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities.
Colen pointed to the division’s budgetary constraints.
The Richmond School Board recently adopted a budget that eliminated in-house transportation and security for after school providers, saving the division a little more than $700,000.
Victoria A. Ifatusin
City Council stepped in to help fund transportation, but only for middle school after-school programs, by appropriating $483,000 to NextUp RVA – a local intermediary.
It is unclear if security will continue to be provided at the elementary after-school programs.
The new school year begins for the division’s four 200-day schools – Cardinal Elementary, Fairfield Court Elementary, Oak-Grove Bellemeade Elementary and Woodville Elementary – on Monday. The remaining elementary schools begin their year on August 24.
Contact Reporter Victoria A. Ifatusin at vifatusin@richmonder.org
