Cincinnati Public Schools is still facing the challenges lingering in many districts across the country in the wake of the pandemic. But Superintendent Iranetta Wright says the school system is making progress.
As the district gears up to welcome students back Aug. 17, CPS has 79 open teaching positions, as well as a few openings for custodians and other roles. But that's better than this time last year, when the district needed to fill 108 teaching roles.
Wright says most of the vacancies are at the high school level, especially in math and science. But there is also a need for physical education teachers.
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District officials expressed confidence the school system would be able to serve all its expected 36,000 students. Right now, the district's enrollment is right on track at about 35,500 students signed up, Wright says. She encouraged parents who have yet to enroll their students do so soon.
"We still have space in our district," she says. "It's really important. If your child is not enrolled in school, please enroll them."
Transportation update
Another big challenge for CPS last year was transportation, with parents reporting students dropped off in unexpected locations, getting to school late, or not getting a bus at all. But the district says they've reworked their plan this year and expect better results.
Among the adjustments — schools served by CPS' Yellow Bus service will have four start times instead of the eight they had last year, and those times are coordinated to make better use of the district's bus and driver resources. In addition, the district has adjusted bus stops. The state of Ohio requires bus stops be within half a mile of where students live.
Last year, CPS had stops within 0.18 miles of almost every student. The district looked at the spacing of its stops to improve efficiency. Wright says some students might have to walk slightly farther under the new system — but still much less than the state's half-mile requirement.
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"Our bus drivers received their bus stops so they could run their routes and give any feedback," Wright said. "Our transportation staff goes out and visits every one of our bus stops as well. And we also have a process through 513-363-RIDE, which is our transportation hotline. If any parent feels that their stop is unsafe, we follow up with that."
Wright says the bus driver shortage that started with the pandemic is still an issue, but that the adjustments the district has made should improve service significantly.
Other changes in the district this year include an expansion of Montessori accreditation throughout the district and the opening of a preschool program at the former Bramble ElementarySchool building in Madisonville.