Several parents of Taylor Creek Elementary students appeared before trustees of the Lampasas Independent School District Monday night to request concessions to the district's busing policy.

The Lampasas ISD does not transport regular education students who live within two miles of a school.

The parents said it is too dangerous for their children to walk to school, and the area on Big Divide Road does not provide any type of signage that would require traffic to slow down for students.

Since school buses pass several of the houses while on their routes, they should stop and pick up additional children within the two-mile radius because of the dangers of children walking, the parents said.

A new campus, Taylor Creek Elementary is in eastern Lampasas County, on Big Divide Road near U.S. Highway 190.

Superintendent Randy Hoyer said the LISD can legally provide services if hazardous conditions exist, there is no walkway provided and students are walking across a freeway or expressway or uncontrolled or major traffic artery.

However, Hoyer noted the district's transportation budget is $1.56 million, and of that, LISD is reimbursed just $475,000 by a state transportation allotment fund.

The state would provide an additional 10 percent in funds for transporting students in hazardous situations, he said.

Hoyer offered five alternatives for board members' consideration for the transportation situation:

• continue the current practice and not provide transportation to students within the two-mile zone to be fair to all students in the district.

• use one of the district's legal policies to identify hazardous routes.

• create an application process where children are scored by need, and if there is room on a route and it wouldn't cause an additional route to be created consideration could be given to those most in need.

• charge a fee for transportation for those who live within the two-mile radius.

• provide transportation for all regular education students regardless of where they live.

"I recommend option one, and that we evaluate and continue to monitor the transportation this year," the superintendent said.

Hoyer said he recently sent a letter to the city of Copperas Cove, which has annexed part of the 30- acre school site. The annexation process on the remainder of the acreage is under way.

The letter requested Big Divide Road, which is part of the city of Copperas Cove, be designated a school zone so signage could be placed where students are walking.

Copperas Cove officials said the road did not meet the parameters of a school zone, Hoyer said.

The Texas Department of Transportation could consider a traffic light, but bids for that might not be let until 2010 or 2011, Hoyer noted, and there is no commitment yet from TxDOT.

Copperas Cove officials said the road does not qualify for a crosswalk, and TxDOT said sidewalks are not within its budget, the superintendent added.

Several trustees disagreed with Copperas Cove's findings, including board members Dan Claussen and Kirk Whitehead, who agreed there is a need for a school zone on Big Divide Road.

Whitehead said he would like to see how many students are affected by the two-mile rule. "I think we ought to push for a school zone to at least slow them

drivers) down to 20 miles per hour."

Karrie Bush, a Taylor Creek parent, said she is concerned about children walking to the Kempner-area campus. "We live within two miles, and I know those children aren't eligible for transportation, but there is no safe place for them to walk," she said.

Mrs. Bush said there are no sidewalks or school zones, but there are ditches, construction, speeding trucks, snakes and other hazards. "And a lot of parents can't pick up and drop off their kids every day," she added.

Buses pass right by her house (about 1.5 miles from the school) on the way to pick up eligible bus riders, she noted.

The parents in attendance asked for a community forum between Copperas Cove and the Lampasas ISD "so no one's child gets hurt."

Trustees took no action since the busing matter was not an agenda item.