Reading Standards for Informational Text > Global Perspectives in Literature (CCSS.RI.7.3) Practice Test

Rerouting for Winter: How Delays Changed the School Day

Overview In January, three heavy snowstorms hit North Ridge School District. Buses crawled through slush, and many students arrived late. The district measured the impact and weighed options to improve reliability.

Sequence of Events First, transportation staff logged arrival times for every route during the storms. Next, student council members surveyed classmates about missed instruction. Then, the school board heard expert advice. "Staggered hub stops create fewer turns and safer pickups," said transit planner Eva Moreno. By February, the district issued a report showing 28% of students were late at least twice in January.

Graphic: Winter Response Table | Step | Action | Intended Effect | | Data | Logged late arrivals | Identify patterns | | Design | Proposed hub stops | Shorten bus mileage | | Schedule | Shifted first bell earlier | Absorb weather delays |

Board Discussion Members discussed cause and effect. Because storms made routes unpredictable, the board needed a buffer. "Because the storms made routes unpredictable, the board moved bells earlier," the minutes state. The transportation chief compared hub stops to airport gates, explaining how buses could cycle through faster with fewer detours.

Timeline

• Early January: Snowstorms cause widespread delays.
• Mid-January: Surveys and timing logs collected.
• Late January: Public meeting with expert testimony.
• Early February: Board vote on routing and start times.
• March: New routes and earlier bells launched.

Results By spring, average lateness fell even on sunny days. Parents praised drivers for texting updates during the snowiest week, and students learned where the new hub locations were. Although some families had a longer walk to their hub, the committee concluded the change reduced last-minute route changes.

Conclusion The January storms triggered a chain of decisions. The event of repeated delays led to the outcome of earlier bell times and hub stops so learning could start on time.

Opening the Doors: The Library Ends Late Fines

Background For years, Brookfield Public Library charged small late fines to encourage timely returns. In 2021, staff began to ask whether those fines discouraged reading. "Fines act like a lock on learning for some families," said Head Librarian Maya Patel.

Pilot and Data First, the library ran a one-month fine amnesty. Next, it tracked returns and new card sign-ups for three months. Then, the Teen Advisory Board hosted a forum where members described avoiding the library because they feared fines. Literacy researcher Dr. Carlos Ortiz observed, "When we remove a cost barrier, borrowing increases, especially for kids."

Graphic: Before/After Table | Measure | Before Fines | After Fines Ended | | On-time returns | 82% | 86% | | New youth cards | 57 | 104 |

Board Meeting Trustees debated the library's mission. "Trustees said access comes first, so they voted to end fines," the minutes read. A donor offered to fund new scanners for the checkout desk, but the discussion kept returning to the idea that reading should be accessible to everyone. One trustee added, "We can replace fines with friendly reminders and due-date emails."

Timeline

• March: Fine amnesty month.
• April–June: Data collection on returns and sign-ups.
• July: Teen forum and expert testimony.
• August: Board vote on fines policy.
• September: New reminder system launched.

Cause and Effect Because the idea of accessibility guided the trustees, they chose a policy that removed a financial barrier. Staff reported that some patrons kept books longer during the summer months, but more families returned once they felt welcome. The policy also included a replacement fee only for lost items.

Conclusion The decision linked a belief about access to a concrete action. By ending fines, the library aligned its policy with its mission and the evidence from the pilot.