The Bridgeport School Board is proposing to cut down on buses used by the district and make more students walk to school.

Forums are set for next week to hear what parents think about increasing the walking distances for elementary school students from 1 mile to 1.5 miles. The forums will be held at the three schools that would be impacted the most: Barnum/Waltersville, Reed, and Winthrop schools.

Board member Maria Pereira says the change would result in nearly $1.6 million in savings and keep district jobs like kindergarten aides from being cut.

Transportation director Raul Laffitte says more than 2,200 students would be impacted, but the numbers would vary per school.

Pereira says she got the idea from the New Haven School District. She also says that if feedback from next week's forums is positive, the school board will hold meetings at other schools.