LAPS NEWS RELEASE

Los Alamos Public Schools is encouraging all eligible students to ride the school bus to or from school on Wednesday, Feb. 8 as part of “Ride the Bus” Day. This initiative not only helps the environment, but also funds the LAPS Transportation Department. The goal is to have 1,000 riders.

Students enrolled in the 3Y preschool program will have both morning and afternoon sessions just like a regular school day. Students in the 4Y preschool will be dismissed at noon with the elementary students.

Two days a year, the New Mexico Public Education Department has each school district tally student ridership for transportation funding: once in December, on the 80th day of school, and again in February, on he 120th day of school. 

The school district receives funding for school bus transportation based on the number of students that ride the bus on those two days, according to LAPS Director of Transportation Keith Rosenbaum.

“In order for Los Alamos Public Schools to receive enough funding to transport students to and from school, it is important that all eligible students ride the bus on Ride the Bus days,” he said. 

To ensure that all eligible students are in the routing system, please make sure to complete a required bus card for each student who will ride the school bus. This form may be found on the Transportation page of the district website at https://laschools.net/transportation/. 

The education department defines eligible students for bus transportation and funding as: elementary students that live one mile or more from their school; students in grades seven through nine that live one and a half miles or more from school; and students in grades 10 through 12 that live two miles or more from school.