Voters Put The Brakes On Dallas County Schools
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - On Tuesday, taxpayers voted to shut down Dallas County Schools, a tax supported public agency that handles school bus operations for eight local school districts.
This was a rejection of an institution deemed by some as unreliable at best and corrupt at its worst.
Now, these Dallas area school districts must figure out what to do without the bus agency known as Dallas County Schools.
Richardson's Math, Science and Technology Magnet school is dependent upon DCS bus service.
"Thank you bus driver!" Students this afternoon offered their daily bus drivers a bit of emotional support at the end of the school day.
Up to 70,000 students attending eight Dallas area school districts will no longer be on board any bus operated by Dallas County Schools.
The head of the largest school system in North Texas, Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, puts 30,000 children on those buses, "It's just the experiences I personally saw that showed me something was amiss."
Dallas, Coppell, Irving, Carrollton, Farmers Branch and four other school systems must now determine if they will operate bus services on their own.
"We do have our own buses, drivers and mechanics. Things to work within. So, we may be in a better situation than our counterparts in the eight other school districts," says Chris Moore and spokesperson for Richardson ISD.
For tax payers, your taxes for DCS will not go away just yet. Not until all the bills are paid.
"What will change immediately is the management and governance of this agency," says Hinojosa.
CBS 11 spoke with the Superintendent of Dallas County Schools. He said voters lost trust in the agency.
There could be criminal investigations surrounding former leaders of DCS. Investigations into financial mismanagement and complaints about inconsistent service for families.
The agency officially dissolves in one week.
