Peekskill School Transportation Policies Illegal: Officials

Peekskill school transportation policies do not comply with state education law, Peekskill school officials have found.

To bring them into compliance will take a second proposition on the upcoming ballot May 19 when residents vote on the school budget proposal for 2015-16.

This letter was posted on the district website:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This week we confirmed with our district legal counsel that the current district transportation practices, including the propositions and resolutions that authorized them, are not in full compliance with the state education law. As a result, in order to properly budget for student transportation for the upcoming school year, the Board must put forth a revised proposition that adheres to said requirements. Naturally, should this proposition fail, we will not be able to provide transportation for either public or private school students. In order to provide you with accurate information, I will be conducting an informational meeting for you on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 from 7 to 8:30p.m. in the Peekskill Middle School Auditorium.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Sincerely, Lorenzo Licopoli, Ph.D.

Interim Superintendent of Schools

According to the district website, current transportation policies include:

• Your child is eligible for busing if your home is located within eligibility zones.
• Grade K -1 students who live more than ½ mile from school are eligible
• Grade 2 - 5 students who live more than 1 mile from school are eligible
• The district buses students in grades 9-12 to John F. Kennedy HS in Somers, Harvey School in Katonah, and Soundview Prep in Yorktown Heights, a practice that was approved years ago by the Board of Education.
• When the district began busing its own elementary school children by law it also has to provide busing to students living in eligibility zones to St. Columbanus in Cortlandt Manor.