Katy ISD to adjust 2022-23 elementary school bell schedule to ease transportation challenges
KATY, Texas -- Katy ISD is adjusting the bell schedule for the district's elementary schools in the 2022-23 school year to account for driver shortages.
Effective in August, elementary campuses will fall under one of three tiers:
Tier A: 7:50 a.m.-3 p.m.
Mid-Tier: 8:10 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
Tier B: 8:30 a.m.-3:40 p.m.
The current elementary bell schedule is split into two groups-Group 1 is 7:55 a.m.-3:05 p.m, and Group 2 is 8:25 a.m.-3:35 p.m.
KISD officials hope this will alleviate transportation challenges stemming from driver shortages and route times, Media Relations Manager Maria DiPetta said in a press release on April 1.
Ted Vierling, KISD chief of operations, said in the press release that the change will allow the district to better utilize its drivers.
"In an effort to maximize bus routes, minimize service delays and accommodate for our current driver shortage, the adjusted elementary bell schedule is a mechanism to assist the transportation department in improving the services it offers eligible bus riders," Vierling said.
Consideration to make this adjustment began earlier this year. KISD board President Greg Schulte said in a February statement to the district that KISD was short 40 drivers due to a nationwide shortage that was only compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to some routes having to be combined and delays across some service areas, Schulte said.
The adjustment will only affect elementary schools in the district. Junior high and high school bell schedules will not change. Elementary campuses assigned to each of the three tiers are as follows:
Tier A campuses (7:50 a.m.-3 p.m.)
Alexander
Campbell
Cimarron
Hayes
Hutsell
McRoberts
Memorial Parkway
Rhoads
Rylander
Sundown
Winborn
WoodCreek
Mid-Tier campuses (8:10 a.m.-3:20 p.m.)
Bear Creek
Bethke
Bryant
Exley
Fielder
Franz
Golbow
Griffin
Holland
Katy
Mayde Creek
McElwain
Morton Ranch
Nottingham Country
Randolph
Shafer
Stanley
West Memorial
Williams
Wilson
Wolfe
Tier B campuses (8:30 a.m.-3:40 p.m.)
Creech
Davidson
Jenks
Kilpatrick
King
Leonard
Pattison
Robertson
Schmalz
Stephens
Wolman
This article comes from our ABC13 partners at Community Impact Newspapers.
