By Cindy Kranz
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Last week's defeat of Mount Healthy's school levy goes beyond cutting bus service for high school students - it could make the district lose points on its state performance report card.

Attendance is one of 22 indicators the state uses to measure a district's effectiveness. If the lack of bus service cuts into overall attendance, the district's report card could suffer.

"It's a definite worry to me," Superintendent David Horine said.

On the 2002 report card, Mount Healthy jumped from academic emergency to continuous improvement, skipping the academic watch category. The report card is based on proficiency test results, graduation rate and attendance.

However, next year's district ratings are already precarious because the state has eliminated the 12th-grade proficiency test, which means all school districts lose five indicators.

And if Mount Healthy high school students are missing a lot of school, it could affect their performance on the ninth-grade proficiency test, which accounts for another five indicators.

Mount Healthy's school board decided in September that it would cut high school busing if the levy didn't pass Nov. 5. On Thursday, the board made it official for all public and private high school students, effective Jan. 1. That will save the district about $40,000 for the rest of the school year.

It's not the first time bus service has been cut in the 3,800-student district. After losing three levies in 1997, busing was cut in January 1998. It was restored after a levy passed a month later.

Surprisingly, Mr. Horine said, there wasn't a significant impact to attendance in 1998.

"That might have been because it was a short period of time. Certainly, it's my hope that will again be the case. I am concerned if it stays that way for a longer period of time, it will have a greater impact."

The board also decided Thursday to try to pass a levy again Feb. 4. The 6.95-mill continuing levy would raise $2.07 million annually - the same amount on last week's ballot. The owner of a $100,000 home would pay an extra $204.50 in property taxes a year.

Mount Healthy won't be the only school without high school bus service. The state requires that K-8 students be bused but high school transportation is optional.

Some districts don't provide high school transportation because of the cost or because they're so small geographically that they are considered "walking districts." Among them are Finneytown, Deer Park, Norwood, Beechwood and Ludlow.

But even some larger districts, such as Northwest and Oak Hills, don't provide high school transportation.

Mike Amos, director of operations at Oak Hills School District, estimated the 8,200-student district hasn't bused high school students for 25 years.

"It has always been a financial issue," he said, noting the costs for bus driver and mechanics' salaries, gas, insurance and maintenance. The district currently buses K-8 students who live 2 miles or more from school, which is the state minimum requirement.

Even though no high school bus service has been available for a generation, Mr. Amos said he still hears every year about the problems lack of bus service creates for parents and students.

At Mount Healthy High School, where about 670 of the school's 950 students are bused, students already talk about the hardship that lack of busing will create.

Marquita Causey and Chanell Thomas, both 17-year-old seniors, worry about how they'll get to school because their parents work. They're also concerned because they have clean records with no suspensions. Excessive tardiness can cause in-school suspensions.

"As of right now, I don't have any other way to get to school," Marquita said. "My Dad stays home with my little brothers to make sure they get the bus. It means I'll have a tardy."

Chanell's situation is similar. She predicted that cutting buses will cause many absences.

"Some kids will feel, `They can't get you to school so I'm not going to school,'" she said.

The board's decision will not affect 100 students who ride a bus to a vocational school. But it will affect about 100 students from Mount Healthy who are bused to private high schools, including La Salle, McAuley, St. Xavier and Roger Bacon.

"My parents both work," said Amanda Klems, a 14-year-old McAuley freshman. "My mom would have to drive me and be late for work."

Susan Croslin, Mount Healthy High School technology coordinator, is concerned about the effect lack of busing will have on education.

"The kids are just now really starting to flourish," Mrs. Croslin said. "They're doing so much better and know they have the capabilities of being good students. Now we hit this speed bump that pushes them back."

She's angry at the state for not changing how schools are funded.

"Because (the state is) taking so long to fix the system, it's hurting a lot of people," Mrs. Croslin said.

E-mail ckranz@enquirer.com