GALLUP, N.M. – A New Mexico charter school is pleading with the state Public Education Department to help them with school buses. 

KOB 4 talked to a school leader about its bus issue, and why this school will accept help from anywhere in the state.

“It’s very stressful,” said Keith Hillock, a Hozho Academy transportation director. 

In a letter to parents, Hillock says the Public Education Department’s Transportation Bureau is refusing to give the school three buses it needs to safely carry students.

“Sometimes money or their budgets get involved, and who usually gets the short end of the stick is the students,” Hillock said. 

Hozho Academy is a state charter school with 750 students, and 450 of them need a bus ride to school.

With only five buses available right now, that breaks down to 88 children per bus.

“I got all the bus drivers. I got everything I need, I got lots of bus routes. I just need the buses,” said Hillock. 

Hillock told parents he had to close four bus routes for the sake of student safety. 

“I’m denying them transportation right now because I can’t bring them in,” Hillock said. 

The school buses serve a 25-mile radius, but some parents from nearby reservations drive another 20 miles to the bus stop. 

Hillock says that puts a strain on families taking a longer trip and the school.

“It affects the school’s budget, because now we’re paying thousands and thousands of extra dollars to take on a before school program, after school program, instead of putting it in the classroom,” said Hillock. 

Hillock is putting out a plea for help beyond PED. 

“I’m reaching out to any districts that could help me,” Hillock said. “They’re already state-owned property, so we’re going to try our best to see what’s out there available to help out these kids.”

That school leader attached an email from PED’s transportation bureau in his letter to parents, saying a state audit showed the buses were not running at capacity.

We reached out to PED to see if leaders are reconsidering Hozho’s request.

PED sent KOB 4 the following statement Wednesday: 

“School districts requiring additional buses to accommodate growth in the school district or to meet other special needs may petition the department for additional buses as stated in NM statute 22-8-27.

In May 2024, the New Mexico Public Education Department conducted a technical assistance visit at Hozho Academy to observe routes and ridership. Feedback and recommendations were given to the administration on how they could streamline their processes and better utilize bus capacity, including utilizing pick-up hubs. The Public Education Department will continue to add additional buses to a district or charter as we analyze ridership and utilization annually. The Department will continue to work with Hozho Academy and conduct another technical assistance visit to observe the routes and ridership for the new school year.”