1 of 15

Transportation Boundary

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

2 of 15

Strategic Alignment - Community

  • Community. Families have always cherished ISLA’s strong and close-knit community. The Hopkins district was the heart of the community even for those who didn’t live there. Prior to the move this was defined by the transportation boundary that aligned to the Hopkins School District.
  • The transportation boundary has an outsized role to play in building a strong and close-knit community in ISLA’s new location. Community is built when students have school friends to play with in their neighborhoods, when a majority of students continue together into the same middle school, when families enjoy community events together, and when kids take part in community sports and activities with their classmates. Additionally, word of mouth between neighbors is a fantastic marketing strategy! Focusing on an area that is sufficiently large for enrollment, but that is concentrated enough to drive community is a key strategic driver in defining the transportation boundary.

3 of 15

Strategic Alignment – Fiscal Responsibility

  • Fiscal Responsibility. For many years ISLA has prided itself on being fiscally responsible. Due to the move fiscal responsibility has been elevated to a critical priority.
  • Transporting children to school is costly. Nationally and state-wide there are bus driver shortages driving costs up. Some districts have had to limit or even cancel services. Transportation is a significant cost for the school.
  • Transportation is also one of the top selection criteria for families when choosing a school for their child. This makes it extremely important for recruitment and retention which drives the core source of income for ISLA. Transportation is also a significant revenue enabler.

4 of 15

Guiding Principles & Constraints

  • Constraints
  • Affordability.
    • Transport costs are based on the number of buses. A geographically dispersed population increases the number of buses needed.
    • Retention of students will retain ADM revenue, this is especially important for students in the upper grades.

Edina.

    • We are obliged to provide transportation to the school district in which we reside.
  • Guiding Principles
  • Condense the boundary to drive community.
  • Retain students in upper grades.
  • Expand mindfully.

​

​

5 of 15

Future Transportation �Boundary

6 of 15

New Legacy

Transportation Area

7 of 15

Transportation Boundary Expansion for �2024-2025 & 2025-2026 School Years

  • This map will be added for the December Board meeting. We are waiting on sample routes to assist the Committee in understanding what expansion might be feasible for Phase 1.

​

8 of 15

Phased Approach�Phase 1: Fall 2024 - Spring 2026

  • Continue to Honor Existing Legacy Riders. The last existing Hopkins Legacy Riders (current 3rd graders) will graduate in the 2025-2026 school year.
  • Establish New Legacy Transportation Area. This new Legacy Transportation Area does not include any promise of any type of service for any period of time. However, existing stops in the current 2023-2024 transportation boundary will stay in place with neighborhood stops during phase 1. This should drive retention, particularly in the upper grades.
  • Modest Expansion towards the Desired Future Transportation Area. A modest expansion into the desired future area. A gradual approach is required in order to keep a cap on the growth of transportation costs. Expansion will equate to additional buses which will add cost to the ISLA budget.

​

​

9 of 15

Phased Approach�Phase 2: Fall 2026 – Spring 2029

  • Hopkins Legacy Ridership is Sunset. The last existing Hopkins Legacy Riders graduated and ISLA will no longer service areas of the Hopkins School District that are outside of its 2023-2024 Transportation Boundary. This will free up some bus capacity.
  • Legacy Transportation Area. This area will be serving students who are in 3rd to 5th grades and their younger siblings. There may an opportunity to consolidate stops and or create party stops in this area. We would expect to review options based on ridership at that time.
  • Further Expansion towards the Desired Future Transportation Area. A further expansion into the desired future area. Exact boundaries will be reviewed based on capacity and enrollment at that time.

​

10 of 15

Phased Approach�Phase 3: Fall 2029 onwards

  • Legacy Transportation Area is Sunset. All students who started at ISLA with the existing 2023-24 Transportation Boundary will have graduated (i.e. current Kinders). ISLA will no longer service the Legacy Transportation Area. This could impact younger siblings of current ISLA students.
  • Future Transportation Area is Fully in Place. Any needed final expansion would be complete and the new community focused transportation area would be in place.

​

  • Note: If at anytime enrollment is not sufficient, party stops outside of the Future Transportation Area can be strategically considered. Stops within the Future Transportation Area will remain neighborhood stops.

11 of 15

Appendix

12 of 15

2023-2024 School District Data

13 of 15

2023-2024 School District Data

14 of 15

2023-2024 School District Data

15 of 15

2023-2024 School District Data