Parents at Angeline Academy of Innovation told the Pasco County School Board on Tuesday, Aug. 25, that dismissal car lines stretching up to two hours are draining family time and wages, and they want the district to add bus service.

Every parent who spoke during public comment at the board’s first meeting since the school year began was from Angeline Academy, the STEM magnet school serving grades 6 through 12 in Land O’ Lakes, as reported by Tampa Bay 28. The school dismisses at 2:40 p.m., and parents described lines backing out of the parking lot onto surrounding streets.

Parent Michael Zadroga said he was there to address “the transportation crisis at Angeline” and put a dollar figure on the gridlock. He estimated families collectively lose about $13,500 a day in wages, based on an average $30 hourly rate in Pasco County.

“It’s placing a huge financial burden on the families … if you add that up in the 181 days school — that’s little over $2.4 million in lost revenue for the families,” Zadroga told the board.

Rita Borkowski, a grandparent who picks up students daily, said she arrives at 2 p.m. and doesn’t leave with her grandchildren until 3:15 p.m. Parent John Peterson said arriving any later means he would not get out with his kids until probably 3:30 p.m. Peterson blamed rapid growth in the area rather than typical first-week hiccups: “I don’t think they were at all prepared for how fast everything was gonna explode essentially.”

Parents acknowledged that, as a magnet school with no attendance boundary, Angeline does not automatically provide bus transportation. Pasco County’s school-choice transportation policy uses a transportation lottery and hub stops. Still, families asked the district to expand bus options.

Zadroga credited school staff for adjusting the car-line process but said the core problem remains: “There’s just too many kids on campus to hop one or two at a time into an individual car.”

Superintendent John Legg told the board the district has already cut dismissal time by 30 minutes since the first day of school through a new strategy.

“We’re pleased that we’re heading in the right direction, but we have a lot more to do,” Legg said.

Legg said the district will reassess transportation options for Angeline students after the 10-day enrollment count. No date for a follow-up report to the board has been announced.