Superintendent: Deal Expected to End Medford to Minuteman Bus Cut

Progess has been made and a deal is expected to be reached to end controversy over Medford Public Schools eliminating funding for a school bus to transport students to Minuteman Regional Vocational School.

Superintendent Roy Belson didn't go into specifics when asked about the situation by City Councilors Tuesday because, he said, he didn't intend to announce anything official for another few days.

But he said he expected an agreement to be reached that will resolve the issue and save Medford schools in the neighborhood of $80,000 per year.

The Medford 2013 school budget, passed in June, includes cutting funding for the bus that transports Mintueman students who reside in Medford to its campus in Lextington, and replacing it with MBTA passes for students. Belson had previously said the regional school had been raising its rates at an "astonishing" clip, and that the school bus cut was part of negotiations over the state's formula for determining student fees for regional vocational schools.

The Medford School Department has $1 million allocated for regional vocational school tuitions in 2013.

Parents of Minuteman students have previously spoken out against the proposed cuts, accusing Belson of putting children in the midst of a contract negotiation between local public schools and the regional public school.

Belson appeared before the City Council Tuesday night to discuss proposed bonds for science lab overhauls and was asked by councilor Robert Penta for an update on the Minuteman bus situation. Belson said he was reluctant to give an answer since members of the press were in the room. Penta suggested the council order the press to leave the meeting, but the council did not entertain the idea and Belson said he expected a resolution to be reached and that it would save the city about $80,000 per year.

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