We, the undersigned, urge public school districts in Ohio, including the Olentangy Local School District, to continue providing safe and reliable transportation for all students, regardless of whether they attend public, private, or charter schools. This transportation is a critical service for 
many families. We further urge the state legislature to act to eliminate the loophole that allows public school districts to deny transportation to private and charter school students.

The Issue:

Recent decisions by several Ohio public school districts, including  Olentangy and Columbus City Schools, to limit or terminate bus  transportation for students attending private or charter schools have left  many families struggling to find safe and practical transportation options. Ohio law requires that public school districts provide transportation for students attending private or charter schools. However, many districts statewide are deeming the transportation "impractical" and instead paying a nominal fee to these families (when the transportation is desperately needed). We believe these public schools are improperly invoking this legal exception, targeting private and charter school students and their families. This is affecting families who reside in the districts in question and pay real estate property tax to these districts, even though their children do not attend school in the districts.  We are requesting your support to change the law to eliminate this legal loophole, so that public school districts adhere to the obligation to provide this transportation for students residing in their districts, but opting to attend private and charter schools.

Why This Matters
1. Ohio Law Protects Transportation for All Students: Ohio law (ORC § 3327.02) Outlines the obligation of public school districts to provide transportation for all students. But the same law provides an unnecessary exception that allows the districts to declare transportation impractical, listing entirely subjective conditions that must be met to make the declaration.

2. Impact on Families: Many families rely on this transportation to balance demanding work schedules and ensure their children have access to quality education. The sudden withdrawal of this service places an undue burden on working parents who cannot afford to transport their children or arrange for alternative transportation.

3. Safety Concerns: Without reliable bus services, families are forced to rely on unsafe or impractical alternatives, such as ride-sharing services or walking long distances on dangerous roads.

4. Precedent of Service: For decades, public school districts have faithfully provided transportation for private and charter school students. The sudden decision to withdraw this service, without adequate warning or alternatives, disrupts the lives of thousands of Ohio families who have relied on this system for years. 

5. Fairness and Equity: Every student, regardless of the type of school they attend, deserves access to safe and reliable transportation. The selective removal of transportation services for private and charter school students creates an inequitable system, denying them the same access as their public school peers.

Our Request
We ask you to sign this petition to call on the legislature and public school districts across Ohio to:

1. Reinstate Transportation Services: Immediately reinstate bus transportation for all students who qualify under Ohio law, regardless of whether they attend public, private, or charter schools.
2. Ensure Fair Access: Uphold Ohio’s commitment to providing equitable access to education by ensuring that every student has a safe and reliable means of getting to school. This will require an amendment to Ohio Revised Code §3327.02, which we are asking of our state lawmakers.

Thank you for your support!