The elementary school in my town is slightly over half a mile away. No buses here, not sure what the issue is with having a bus stop up to a half mile away.
It's not so much the distance (although that is a bit far for a 6-7 yr old to walk) ... it's that there are no sidewalks, so kids have to walk on the roadway, which means it's likely at least one will be hit this school year.
I mean, the lack of sidewalk for the k-5 kids is a big deal depending on the type of road and how busy it is. The busses not getting kids home until 10 pm is beyond the pale.
Plus a 6 am pickup for k-5 means the kids are walking to the bus stop around dawn or even in the dark parts of the year, with no sidewalk. The school could be miles away which in city traffic could be significant, and many folks don't have other options.
What a terrible situation for the kids and families.