Decisions for appeals will be communicated to the appellant by August 1, 2023. The Office of Student Transportation is working through the process detailed in the Implementation Procedures for Board of Education Policy 5200 Student Transportation as quickly as possible, understanding that this process requires the Student Walking Route and Bus Stop Review Committee, made up of government agencies and a community member, to consider the appeal. 

No. Transportation services are determined in Board of Education Policy 5200 Student Transportation. The Implementation Procedures of Policy 5200 do not permit the Superintendent to reduce the demarcation line, which is the action that would result in transportation to more families. 

Due to changes made to Board of Education Policy 5200 Student Transportation, there are approximately 1,200 students from pre-k through grade 5 who now live in non-transportation areas. Making a change for just elementary students would result in the need for approximately 24 additional bus routes. As explained in detail here, an increase of any routes above 478 would not be able to be implemented successfully. 

The changes made to Policy 5200 in May 2022 that increased non-transportation areas, distances to bus stops, and transportation registration were made to support the change in school start times for the 2023-2024 school year. If the Policy were reverted, it would mean start times would revert back to the 2022-2023 school year schedule and it is likely that thousands of students would not receive transportation due to the significant increase in drivers and buses required to transport those students. 

Preschool and Prekindergarten Tasks

Students are expected to complete a total of three multidisciplinary asynchronous tasks. Students have up to 10 school days to complete the tasks.

Students, families, staff and community members will be notified that HCPSS is implementing an asynchronous instruction day the same as all other inclement weather notifications:

Similar to current HCPSS operating status codes, one of two new codes will be used:

HCPSS will repurpose up to three inclement weather days as asynchronous instruction days. 

To continue meeting the growing need to feed hungry children and families in Howard County and fill the nutritional gap over the summer months, the Howard County Public School System announces its FREE SUMMER MEAL PROGRAM, which will run weekdays June 21-Aug. 4, 2023. Meals will be served only on days schools are open and there will be no meal service Tuesday, July 4.

There are no applications, enrollment or fees to participate in this program, however children must be present to receive free meals.