BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — Capping a very good week for new Palm Beach County School Superintendent Robert Avossa — already receiving praise for his public takedown of the Florida Standards Assessment — an investigation has been ordered into the School District’s transportation problems.
Avossa ordered the investigation.
As readers likely know, Palm Beach County has been plagued with what’s considered the worst start to a school year — ever — when it comes to school bus routing and scheduling.
From the school district:
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Robert Avossa, announced today, during a press conference, that he authorized the hiring of a third party firm to investigate the recent transportation issues. The investigation will unveil what happened, who is responsible, and what needs to be addressed to ensure this does not occur again in the future.The independent investigation will be led by Attorney Eugene Pettis. He is past President of the Florida Bar and is highly qualified as having been recognized as Lawyer of the Year for Employment Law by Best Lawyers in America. Pettis has extensive experience representing and investigating for large Florida School Districts and governmental agencies.
The District continues to fine tune the bus routes that are still presenting challenges. Those changes will go into effect this Tuesday, September 8 and will be communicated to students and families directly over the weekend. Parents are encouraged to confirm their child’s bus route on the “Find My Bus” website.On the first day of school, August 17, the Transportation Department delivered approximately 60% of students on-time. Today, the District is delivering approximately 85% of students on-time which is the same the percentage the District reached last year. That number is still unacceptable, and officials are committed to improve.The District is grateful to the bus drivers and staff who have stepped up to help resolve the issues and ensure that the safety of the students is at all times the top priority.
