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First of all, in school districts having poor students who are coming to school by bus: these kids do not stay after school for anything because they will have no transportation home if they do.

I don't why this is so. When I grew up, there was always the "late bus" which arrived about an hour after all the other busses had left. If you missed your bus, or you stayed after school for extra help, or some club, you could always get a ride home on the late bus.

In every school district I know of, I have never seen nor heard anyone mention the "late bus." Kids today have to rely on their parents for transportation if these students miss the bus, and some kids' parents either work, have no car or are not available.

In addition, many schools I have seen as a teacher literally go into "lock-down" at the end of the school day. They don't want students on the property at all.

This is very different than the old days when I went to school, and kids returned to school to play on the playground or play tennis on the tennis courts. Nowadays, every school property has a locked fence around it, due to insurance reasons I guess. But this is not the way it always was, as I recall.

I personally don't think it is the school district's/ government's problem to GET kids to school. Our district spent $1 MILLION a YEAR on busing. What about walking 5 miles through the snow? What about being responsible for your kids to get them to this wonderful, free thing that they have the opportunity to have? an education. Why is it always the government's fault?? Does not make sense.

(a teacher)

First of all, in school districts having poor students who are coming to school by bus: these kids do not stay after school for anything because they will have no transportation home if they do.

In these programs money is provided for transportation home. My local school has such a program after school and before school. The NCLB money pays for teachers and transportation.

In every school district I know of, I have never seen nor heard anyone mention the "late bus." Kids today have to rely on their parents for transportation if these students miss the bus, and some kids' parents either work, have no car or are not available.

I spent last Fall at a low performing school. They were required to offer tutoring. There was a late bus available, but most children did walk to school anyway. Only about half of the students who were offered tutoring, took advantage of it. I don't know why. Tutoring did seem to make an impact for the kids who attended.

The school did everything they could do to "encourage" the tutoring. Kids who showed up for tutoring most of the time got lunches out and prizes for improvement. Kids identified for tutoring could not participate in ANY afterschool activity if they chose not to be tutored.

This same school was obligated to notify parents that their children could go to other district schools, transportation paid for by the district, NOT ONE parent took advantage of that. None of the schools in the district were very good anyway.

They're complaining that it's not advertised. How much expense would be involved if a teacher tucked a note into the report cards of students who are not doing well? Or better yet, mailed it to the parents telling them about the program.

"In every school district I know of, I have never seen nor heard anyone mention the "late bus."

I have grandkids in the Albany area. The oldest is 12 and is in middle school. He frequently stays after school for math lab or other extra-curricular activities and rides the late bus home. However, late buses are not available in my own particular area as we are a "walking" school district. I can't speak for all NYS school districts.