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Huffines Files Legislation To Abolish Dallas County Schools Transportation Services

Rosa Say
/
Flickr

State Sen. Don Huffines (R-Dallas) filedlegislation today to gut Dallas County Schools. The agency provides transportation services to 12 North Texas school districts.

Huffines alleges DCS mismanaged millions of dollars. DCS has also been criticized over late pickup for students and reports that bus drivers were running red lights.

In a press conference this morning, Huffines called the agency antiquated.

“The time for reform has long since gone, the situation is very dire,” he warned. “Without legislation, the collapse of DCS will pull the rug out from under students and schools, leaving them with costly and unexpected, ill-timed transition to find another bus provider.” 

DCS runs buses for 12 North Texas school districts, including Dallas, Richardson, and Irving. 

Huffines’ bill, SB 1122, would replace DCS with what's called a "dissolution committee." The committee would pay off the agency's debts and then shut it down by September of 2018.

DCS officials say the proposed legislation would take away millions of dollars from public schools.

“We’ve been told it would be catastrophic for the children and for the school districts for us to simply disappear,” Dallas County Schools Superintendent Rick Sorrells said.

He also said DCS is working on reducing expenses – and he has no plans to resign. He plans to meet next week with State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) to discuss the future of Dallas County Schools. 

Former KERA staffer Krystina Martinez was an assistant producer. She produced local content for Morning Edition and KERANews.org. She also produced The Friday Conversation, a weekly series of conversations with North Texas newsmakers. Krystina was also the backup newscaster for the Texas Standard.