School City of Hammond starts the school year Monday with sharp cuts to bus transportation. The district says there will be no buses to most elementary schools this year, due to cost cutting.
In December, the Hammond School Board narrowly approved a measure giving the district the option to end most bus transportation in 2027. But now, the district says updated school boundaries put most elementary students within a mile and a half of their school, and they're ineligible for bus transportation starting this school year, telling parents, "You should make your own plans to get your child to and from school."
Busing will still be available for those living outside the 1.5-mile "walk zone," students in foster care, those experiencing housing insecurity and those with special needs. It'll also be available for middle and high school students living outside the "walk zones."
