With just a few days left before classes begin in the Lawrence public schools, a number of parents still are struggling to replace the bus service that previously had been available to take their children to school.

It seems like a perfect opportunity for parent-teacher groups to get involved and help provide some support.

District budget cuts prompted the school board to eliminate pay-to-ride buses for students who live within 2.5 miles of their school. State law requires the district to provide buses for students who live more than 2.5 miles away.

A couple of transportation alternatives suggested by school officials don’t seem all that practical. One was for students to ride the T to school. That might work for older students, but many parents aren’t going to feel comfortable putting elementary children on the T alone.

It also assumes that the T schedule even approximately aligns with school start and finish times — or that the city would try to make the T more convenient for school children. At least one parent who wrote to the Journal-World’s Public Forum said he didn’t even get a response from the city when he sought some accommodations for South Junior High School students.

The other hot suggestion from school officials is the “walking school bus.” While this idea has a certain appeal in terms of exercise and saving the environment, it probably seems like a lot better idea in August or September than it will in January. It’s also a lot more feasible for students who live a few blocks from school than for those who live two miles away. It just doesn’t seem like a reliable system day in and day out, rain or shine.

Car pools may be a better option, but some parents may be having trouble making the necessary connections to form such groups. That’s where parent-teacher groups could help out. It could be a simple as posting some kind of ride board for the school’s attendance area where people could post a phone number if they want to share a ride. Or the PTA or PTO could have a special meeting for people who are struggling with transportation and want to put their heads together to come up with a creative solution.

Making sure your child gets to school is a pretty basic responsibility for a parent, but modern work schedules sometimes make it more difficult to accommodate a school schedule. The school district has eliminated one transportation option, but maybe parent groups can get organized and can come up with some new ideas that help ease the situation.