A crippling bus driver shortage has left far too many Chicago Public Schools families on their own this year in getting children to school — and sadly, there seems to be no quick or easy solution.
You may not have read or heard a lot about the problem, amid all the headlines about war, government dysfunction, the city’s migrant crisis and other pressing news. But the shortage impacts thousands of students — and by extension, their moms and dads and family members, who in many cases have been forced to take time off from work and spend extra cash to make sure their child gets to school on time.
No wonder some disgruntled parents have formed a new group, CPS Parents for Busing, and are demanding help, as WBEZ’s Sarah Karp reported this week. These students are provided with busing if they live between 1.5 and 6 miles away from their school.
It’s surely no comfort to these parents, but Chicago is not the only city grappling with the problem. Since the pandemic, school districts nationwide have seen pre-existing bus driver shortages worsen: A USA Today analysis found at least one instance of a major shortage in every state this school year.
If kids can’t get to school at all, what does that mean for absenteeism and attendance, both of which have yet to bounce back since taking a plunge during the worst of COVID-19 and virtual learning?
If kids do make it to school but are late through no fault of their own, what does that mean for the quality of the education they receive?
CPS is required by law to provide busing for special needs students, some of whom had to spend long hours traveling to and from school last year because of the shortage. This year, Karp reports, some 8,100 special needs students have received bus service; about 150 are awaiting routes. Thousands of students in magnet and selective schools are still waiting, too.
We urge anyone who may be looking for a job to consider applying for a bus driver position. CPS has hundreds of openings and has boosted pay to attract candidates. (Resumes can be submitted to driver@cps.edu and are forwarded to one of the bus companies that provide drivers to the district.)
Parents jump through hoops to get children a seat in the district’s coveted magnet and selective enrollment schools.
Now the district has to do its job: Making sure children can get to these schools, on time, every day.
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