A proposal to reduce the number of buses that Wareham Public Schools operates and transport fewer students has been back-burnered for this year, but School Committee members note the idea, given the town's strapped budgetary situation, will remain on the table for discussion throughout the next school year.

During a "workshop" meeting on Monday, School Committee members expressed confusion as to whether the proposal was indeed being implemented for this school year.

School Committee member Mike Flaherty said he'd heard from parents who thought the proposal had been approved by the School Committee.

The plan would have saved money by cutting the number of bus drivers in the district and the number of buses used. It would have required students in grades five through 12 who live within one mile of their respective school to walk to school.

But when it last left the issue, members had decided to wait until after Town Meeting in June passed a budget to determine how to proceed.

"I think it's appropriate to say that the School Committee didn't act as decisively as we should have on this issue," School Committee member Geoff Swett said, but noted: "The reason for that is there always seemed to be new information" that might impact the decision, including the Town Meeting vote.

With no vote for change, the Transportation Department proceeded with the status quo.

Despite a $120,000 gap remaining between what district officials thought was needed to run the department next year and what the town was able to provide -- which precipitated the proposal -- Transportation Manager Jeff Tatro said maintaining the status quo would not break this year's budget as previously expected.

After sending a survey to parents asking whether their students would be riding the bus next year, officials learned that 218 students would not be using busing. To compare, in the proposal for the reduction of services, 130 students would have lost transportation services.

Additionally, with money approved by Town Meeting voters, the department was able to purchase new, used buses, which will cut down on maintenance costs.

Swett stressed that the cost-saving proposal could not be taken off the table, as the district still must continue to replace buses in its aging fleet on a regular basis, and money from the town would likely not be available to do so.

Members agreed to discuss how to proceed at a later date.