Baldwin School District may reduce H.S. busing services in 2011-12

In addition to voting on the Baldwin School District's proposed budget, residents may be looking at Proposition 3, which, if approved, would authorize the board to provide high school busing services only to students living three or more miles from the school. The current busing policy is to transport students 1.5 miles or more.

"What the board is doing is looking at years beyond next year," said Superintendent Dr. James Mapes of cost-cutting measures being explored by the board. "They're pretty much assured that they will have to make up additional deficits in state aid and do something to represent fairly large chunks of money."

The board has not confirmed whether the proposition would appear on the May ballot this year, but trustees have the option to put it before a community vote anytime during the year. If the proposition is voted on in May, the new policy would not go into effect until the 2011-12 school year.

Officials estimate a savings of roughly $500,000 a year. The exact number of students that would be affected by the policy change was not immediately available.