Preston school board reinstates magnet school transportation
Preston — The Board of Education Tuesday reinstated transportation funding for students attending four magnet and charter schools in new budget changes, and next week will discuss whether to offer transportation to other magnet schools and whether to expand the list of designated high schools.
The board held a special meeting Tuesday to incorporate last-minute expected savings in the special education budget that allowed the board to reinstate in-house transportation to four magnet and charter schools: the Science and Technology Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut in New London, the Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut in Groton, the Integrated Day Charter School in Norwich and Regional Multicultural Magnet School in New London.
According to a memo to the board from Finance Director John Spang, the board could remove the $84,841 cost of providing magnet and charter school transportation from the special education budget. The special education savings was the result of four Preston Norwich Free Academy students transitioning into regular education programs at NFA and one moving out of the district.
Spang said Wednesday the special education savings should total about $90,000, and the leftover funds will remain in the special education budget.
Board Chairwoman Jan Clancy said transportation to the four charter and magnet schools will run through the 2016-17 budget year. The district's total education budget is $11.2 million. The board will hold another special meeting Aug. 25 to discuss whether to expand transportation outside the school district to other charter and magnet schools in the region, and possibly to Saint Bernard School in Uncasville as well.
The board received a letter from a parent at the start of Tuesday’s meeting asking for transportation to St. Bernard. A Preston bus used to transport students to St. Bernard when Norwich Regional Technical High School was located nearby on New London Turnpike in Norwich, Clancy said, but canceled the service when Norwich Tech moved farther away on Mahan Drive.
Clancy said the board also might discuss whether to expand the list of designated high schools next week to include regular education at Ledyard High School and possibly Wheeler High School in North Stonington. Preston students already have the option to attend the Ledyard High School agriscience program.
“Our policy has changed so many times,” Clancy said. “Maybe we want to add Ledyard High School. We have had requests for North Stonington.”
The Aug. 25 meeting will be held at Preston Veterans’ Memorial School, tentatively at 7 p.m.
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