"Now, we're in a scramble:" Bus transportation could be cancelled for some at Racine Co. "Choice" school

MOUNT PLEASANT/KENOSHA (WITI) -- Their day begins with a ride on the bus, but some students at a Mount Pleasant "Choice" school are being told their ride may soon be cancelled.

Fourth-graders and fifth-graders start their day at Renaissance Schools campus on Taylor Avenue in Mount Pleasant before they're bused to the campus on 72nd Avenue in Kenosha.

"We're obligated as a public school district to provide that transportation to non-public school students, and we do that every single year. We've done it for many, many years with no problem," Racine Unified School District spokeswoman Stacy Tapp said.

But now there is a problem. It involves these fourth-graders and fifth-graders at the Taylor Avenue campus. Since the current school year began, those students have been bused by the Racine Unified School District to the Taylor Avenue location.

"Then we shuttle them from here down to the middle school campus," Renaissance Schools Founder Frank Trecroci said.

That campus is 15 minutes away in Kenosha. Trecroci says due to the Taylor Street school's rapid growth, the daily trip is made due to capacity concerns.

"In August, we notified them that we were doing this," Trecroci said.

"We have other options, alternative means of transportation," Tapp said.

Tapp says Trecroci wasn't clear about Renaissance's route.

"If Mr. Trecroci had provided the accurate information up front, had been up front with us that these students would not be attending a Racine school, but are, in fact, going down to Kenosha, we would've made those accommodations," Tapp said.

In January, when the district discovered these students have been making two trips, the district announced it would stop providing service.

"To make sure that we're not put in a liable position, to make sure that the buses these kids are getting on are safe," Tapp said.

Trecroci says the school already uses the same buses to transport junior high school students from their Racine homes to Renaissance's campus on 72nd Avenue in Kenosha.

"It's the middle of winter here. We've got 44 students, you know, fourth and fifth-graders and now, we're in a scramble here having to make the arrangements to add another route," Trecroci said.

Tapp says the district has pushed the date it will stop busing students to Renaissance to March 2nd. Trecroci says he is considering taking legal action to prevent this from happening.