ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – As Orange County Public Schools moves forward with plans to close seven schools, some families say they are facing uncertainty over how their children will get to class.
The changes have raised questions for parents, particularly those deciding whether to keep their children at their current school through a grandfathering option or move them to a newly rezoned campus.
Amanda Grace Pozo, a parent with children at East Lake Elementary, said transportation quickly became her biggest concern.
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“With that happening, there’s almost 200 Eastlake students that are getting now rezone to Columbia,” Pozo said. “And the reason that I reached out is because I found out … there are going to be Eastlake students who are no longer going to have bus transportation. My children are going to be affected by that, along with many, many other children.”
Under district policy, students who live within two miles of their assigned school are typically not eligible for bus transportation.
“It’s as plain as if you’re going to Columbia and you’re under 2 miles, you get no bus,” Pozo said. “If you’re taking advantage of the grandfathering at East Lake, then there is no bus.”
When a parent accepts the grandfather program, the district would not provide buses, according to OCPS.
OCPS did mention that, due to a Florida Statute, since the walk for students to go from home to the school could be hazardous, it is up to the district to provide transportation, meaning students will receive busing, even if they choose the grandfather program.
The district said its transportation team will begin finalizing routes and plans for the 2026–2027 school year at the end of the current academic year.