Stafford County School Board Chair Maureen Siegmund, elected in 2021 to represent the Garrisonville District, spoke with Potomac Local News for the first time since the school division failed to provide transportation to more than 3,000 students at the start of the school year. The transportation issues, which affected about 10% of the student population, left parents struggling to find alternate ways to get their children to school for nearly two weeks.
Siegmund addressed the growing calls for an independent investigation into the transportation breakdown, stating, "We don't know yet what that [investigation] will look like. The RFQs [Requests for Qualifications] are out, and once we get through that process, we'll determine what that looks like." When asked if any personnel changes had been made within the transportation department, Siegmund was unable to provide specifics but emphasized that discussions have been ongoing.
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Multiple parents raised concerns about ongoing transportation issues in the school district at the Stafford County School Board meeting on September 10, 2024. During the citizen comment period, delays, missed buses, and lack of communication were highlighted.
Michael Schultz, a parent, addressed the board about the transportation challenges his daughter has faced. "We’re about in week five of the school year, and I can say that transportation has been consistently horrible and inconsistent in pretty much all aspects," Schultz said. He described situations where students were left at school for extended periods, saying, "There were kids that were still at the school two hours and 45 minutes after dismissal." Schultz expressed frustration at the lack of improvement and transportation discussions on the meeting agenda.
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In a meeting on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, Stafford County School Board members faced a litany of transportation issues that had plagued the district since the beginning of the school year. A beleaguered transportation system left 3,000 children—nearly 10 percent of the student population—without a ride to school.
On Monday, August 12, the first school day for kindergarten, 6th, and 9th-grade students, parents learned that some children would not have bus transportation. All Stafford County students were scheduled to return to classes the following day, and the problems continued, with about 1,000 students still without a bus.
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The Stafford County School Board will hold a special called meeting on Tuesday, August 27, at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public, livestreamed online, and televised on local cable channels. The public is invited to attend, but the agenda does not include public comments.
The meeting agenda includes a transportation update; Stafford Public Schools faced a chaotic first week with major software issues that left thousands of students without transportation to and from school. The board will also discuss redistricting for the county's newest High School, which will impact students in the 2026-27 school year. The school will be located between Route 17 and Truslow Road in the southwestern part of the county. This area currently does not have a public high school, and the new facility is expected to help alleviate overcrowding in the existing schools.
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Acting Superintendent Chris Fulmer said 99% of Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) students have now been assigned bus routes, but "despite our best efforts, there are students without confirmed routes."
SCPS began the year with significant transportation issues, with almost 3,000 students who had no assigned bus route. Parents were notified the night before school began for Kindergarteners, Sixth and Ninth graders. The issues continued throughout the first week. According to Fulmer, the issues were due to a software issue with the new transportation app.
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Stafford County Schools is still working to resolve a transportation crisis.
On Monday, the first school day for kindergarten, 6th, and 9th-grade students, parents learned that some 3,000 children would not have bus transportation to school. All Stafford County students were scheduled to return to classes the following day, and the problems continued, with about 1,000 students still without a bus to carry them to school.
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With some students returning to class tomorrow, parents in Stafford County are expressing frustration and concern as some students have yet to be assigned bus routes for the upcoming school year. In a letter sent to families, Karim Johnson, the Executive Director of Transportation Services, acknowledged the delay and apologized for the oversight, assuring parents that his team was working diligently to resolve the issue.
The first day of school for kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grade students is tomorrow, Monday, August 12, 2024. All other students will return to school on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Johnson emphasized that the transportation team works around the clock to ensure all students receive their bus assignments by Monday evening.
“We fully understand how stressful and inconvenient this situation is, especially as you’re preparing your children for their first week back at school,” Johnson wrote. “We deeply regret that this issue has not yet been resolved, and we are truly sorry for any anxiety this has caused.”
The letter also included a request for parents to drive their children to and from school during the first week if their child’s bus route is not assigned by Monday evening. Johnson acknowledged the inconvenience this request may cause and apologized for the disruption it may cause.
Parents are encouraged to check the MyRideK-12 app for updates on their child’s bus route assignment. Johnson assured families that the district is doing everything possible to resolve the issue quickly and that no student will be penalized for being tardy or absent due to transportation problems.
The school division is without a full-time superintendent after Dr. Thomas Taylor left the school division in June to lead public schools in Montgomery County, Md.
More as we have it. Here is the full letter:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am writing to address an issue that I know is causing significant frustration and concern for many of you. It has come to our attention that some students have not yet been assigned a bus route for the upcoming school year. Please accept our sincerest apologies for this delay and oversight. Our team is working diligently to complete the routes and bus assignments as quickly as possible
We fully understand how stressful and inconvenient this situation is, especially as you’re preparing your children for their first week back at school. We deeply regret that this issue has not yet been resolved, and we are truly sorry for any anxiety this has caused.
Our team is working around the clock to ensure that all students receive their bus route assignments by Monday evening. We know that the current uncertainty is far from ideal, and we genuinely appreciate your patience as we finalize these arrangements. Please continue to check MyRideK-12 for your child’s assignment through Monday night.
If, by Monday evening, your child’s route still hasn’t been assigned, we ask for your continued understanding. If possible, we would be grateful if you could drive your child to and from school during the first week while we complete the routing process. We know this is not a small request, and we apologize for the inconvenience.
We want to assure you that we are doing everything in our power to resolve this as quickly as possible. Your child’s safety and your peace of mind are incredibly important to us, and we are committed to making things right. Please know that your child will not be penalized for being tardy or absent as it relates to a bus assignment or transportation issue.
If your child does not need transportation, please disregard this letter.
Thank you for your understanding and for bearing with us during this frustrating time. We ask that you continue to check the My Ride K-12 App for updates.
Please accept my sincere apologies,
Karim Johnson
Executive Director of Transportation Services
