San Diego

The San Diego city schools administrator who directed the system’s ill-fated computerized bus-routing plan has resigned to head a transportation system for a Los Angeles County school district.

Virginia Barnes’ resignation becomes effective Friday. She will become director of transportation in the Whittier Union High School District and several surrounding elementary school districts, Supt. Thomas W. Payzant said Friday.

Payzant said a recent school district report that sharply criticized the implementation of the computerized busing system did not lead to Barnes’ resignation as assistant director of transportation services. He said Barnes had been looking for a transportation director’s position for some time.

The report, released earlier this month, recommended scrapping the system, which left thousands of schoolchildren stranded at bus stops or late for classes. The report said Barnes failed to explain the project to the team planning the bus system or respond to team members’ frustration when they were unable to implement it.