BALTIMORE COUNTY — We've all heard the old story from our grandparents about having to walk the long distance to get to school, not having a bus to ride. That's about to be true for some high school students in Baltimore County.
There are changes in the school board policy for students who live a certain distance from school.
For Dvij Raicha it's a normal routine to take the path less traveled to school every morning, "For me it's kind of nice to be able to kind of forced to walk or ride my bike rather than riding a bus every morning, it definitely wakes me up in the morning.”
He's an upcoming junior at Dulaney High School. Because he lives about a mile from school, he's been doing this for the past two years and only changes route when the weather takes control.
"If it's like let’s say snowing I obviously can't ride my bike. Every now and then I might walk but most of the time my parents would be forced to drive me which would take away time from their work,” said Raicha.
Starting this coming school year, about 900 high school students in Baltimore County will also have to walk or bike to school.
"So probably a little more than a year ago when we were problem solving around some of the needs for Baltimore County Public Schools. One of the recommendations we received from the experts was to consider our non-transported zone,” said Dr. Myriam Yarbrough, who is the BCPS Superintendent.
Yarbrough said this will affect students at 15 high schools this year. Middle schoolers won't see a change until next year.
"We went through the policy changes that were necessary and what's happening is for high school and middle schools there's an increase of a quarter of a mile, so from one point five miles to one point seven miles," said Yarbrough.
This caught some parents off guard. One parent who has an upcoming freshman didn't see the email until after the bus didn't show up this morning for freshman orientation.
"Anytime that parents are surprised by something you'll always hear me say that there is room to improve communication," said Yarbrough.
When it comes to bus driver vacancies, Yarbrough said they are starting the school year off needing to fill spots, “I want to say we have fewer than 50 but what I want to tell you is that we have no uncovered routes."
Elementary school students will not be included in these changes.
