Kokomo — Changes in Kokomo-Center Schools’ transportation program have made pre-enrollment more important than ever this school year, according to school officials.

The school board has increased the walk-in zones for all schools, meaning more children will walk to their neighborhood schools. It also reduced the number of bus stops, so many children will walk farther to catch a bus. The corporation also is offering shuttle service from neighborhood schools to the international schools and career school.

Dave Barnes, Kokomo-Center’s community relations coordinator, said the best way for parents to find out if their child will walk or ride a bus to his or her neighborhood school is to check on the corporation website, www.kokomoschools.com, or attend one of the enrollment sessions set for July 26 to July 28.

Barnes said parents who filled out a school choice application should have received a letter telling which school their children will attend and in which programs. Maps have been posted on the corporation’s website for each school, showing which students walk to that school and which will be bused to school.

The board set new boundaries for students to walk to school in March, due to loss of revenue in the transportation operating fund. The fund comes from property tax money, and has been reduced because of property tax reform, Superintendent Jeff Hauswald told the board.

With the new boundaries, children who live within three-fifths of a mile from their school of residence will walk to school. The board also approved reducing the number of bus stops, clustering students at fewer stops and eliminating some stops. Barnes said students may have to walk up to two-fifths of a mile to a stop.

Students enrolled in the international schools at Lafayette Park and Sycamore elementaries, and the career school at Maple Crest Middle School, who do not live in those neighborhoods, will either take a bus or walk to their neighborhood school, then take a shuttle bus to the school they attend.

Mike Wade, director of operations, said there will be a designated place at the neighborhood schools for shuttle riders to wait for their bus, with adult supervision. There are also shelter areas in case of inclement weather.

Barnes said another question that came up was concern about where children eat breakfast, at their neighborhood school or the school they attend.

“Wherever your child eats lunch is where they eat breakfast,” he said, adding that the shuttles will have students at school with time for the meal.

Wade said parents who have safety concerns about their children walking to school should email busconcerns@kokomoschools.com. Legitimate safety concerns will be addressed, he said.

For example, one parent contacted him about the fact there were no sidewalks on a section of Webster Street. He drove along the area and agreed it was not safe for children to walk. He said until the city puts in a walking path or sidewalks, those children will be provided transportation.

“I try to look at it as if it’s my kid,” he said, adding that there is a difference between a safety concern and a convenience concern.

He said during the first few weeks of school, he encourages parents to walk their children to school to be sure they know how to be safe and they know the routine. Wade said he will have a few buses, driven by substitute drivers, to pick up children who wait at the wrong place and take them to school. Drivers will notify him by radio if there are children who need this help, Barnes said.

Barnes added that Kokomo residents should be aware there will be children walking to school in areas where children have not had to walk before. He said drivers should be extra watchful and drive more slowly when students are walking to school.

Barnes also encouraged parents who have moved into the district since last school year to register their children during the enrollment periods, rather than waiting for the first day of school. He said those who wait to register until the first day of school may not be eligible for transportation for up to 10 days. He said those parents should go to the school nearest their home, where they will be given further direction.

Hauswald said the plan is not perfect, but “you cannot reduce the amount of property tax through tax reform while maintaining the same level of service.”

Wade added that some schools, like Franklin Township in Indianapolis, have eliminated transportation service altogether.

Barnes said while there are more students walking, there are still far more riding buses to school.

“We’re still busing many, many children.”