After a year of budget cuts and advocacy for the safety of students, Cy-Fair ISD decided to reinstate bus transportation for all students. On June 23, the CFISD board increased the budget, which allowed all students to have a bus option regardless of distance.
In the past year, students who lived within a mile from the school were not eligible for bus transport. The budget cuts for the 2024-25 school year led to a limited number of buses.
The safety of many students was at jeopardy as a result. It was recorded that 16 students had been injured throughout the past school year. Many parents were raising concerns about the cut of bus transport. It was found that not all students had possible arrangements to get home after school. As a result many had to walk or use bikes. Many of those routes did not have sidewalks leading to an increased risk of pedestrian accidents. One parent of two CFISD students, Jared Hosteler, stated how, “I went to the board meeting last month. I told them about two instances where I was riding my bike with my daughter to school, and we almost got hit by a car.”
In the 2024-25 school year, state funding had dropped. CFISD wanted to preserve their funds. The board found that getting rid of late buses and bus transport for students within two miles was the best solution. Approximately 79 bus routes were cut, which saved the district almost $4.8 million. Their recent passing of House Bill 2 increased funding for bus transportation. At the June 23 board meeting, the board of trustees voted to approve the budget to reinstate bus transport. The fund budget gave CFISD a total revenue of $1,180,946,791. According to Justin Ray, chair of the Board’s Governance committee, “This increase won’t close the budget gap but will help pay for important district priorities such as salary increases and transportation reinstatement.”
According to the CFISD parent transportation letter, “Beginning Wednesday, August 13, 2025, all students are eligible for Cypress Fairbanks ISD Bus Transportation to and from school within their campus of attendance boundary.”
The salary pay of bus drivers also displayed an issue. CFISD made an additional announcement stating, “To accommodate the additional bus routes, the transportation department is hiring drivers, attendants and technicians at the following elevated starting pay rates.” It was listed that drivers would earn $23.46 per hour, which is a $4 increase from the previous pay rate. This then led to a rise in bus driver applications.
The district finally decided to adopt bus transportation eligibility after many complaints, increasing funding and advocacy for child safety. Exactly 16 bus routes were added, and all routes were reinstated. Parents and students are relieved as there are no longer worries about how to get to school each morning for the new year.
News report compiled using the following resources:
https://www.cfisd.net/cfisd-news-details/~board/2024-2025-cfisd-district-news/post/board-adopts-2025-2026-budget-reinstates-transportation-and-approves-raises-for-all-staff-for-14th-consecutive-year#:~:text=%22This%20legislative%20session%20produced%20statewide,the%20next%
https://abc13.com/post/cy-fair-isd-bus-routes-being-removed-due-budget-cuts-has-caused-concern-parents-after-3-students-hit-separate-crashes/15406267/#:~:text=In%20a%20statement%20to%20AB
https://www.cfisd.net/cfisd-news-details/~board/2025-2026-cfisd-district-news/post/cfisd-hiring-bus-drivers-boosts-pay-for-25-26-school-year#:~:text=%E2%80%9CSchool%20bus%20driver%2
https://www.cfisd.net/parents-students01/transportation/transportation-parent-letter
