Cincinnati metro

The Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education discussed late arrivals of Metro buses to schools, the future of school resource officers in the district and gave thanks to outgoing board members during Wednesday's meeting.

The decades-long working relationship between Cincinnati Public Schools and Metro may end in June 2022.

In the official notice given Nov. 17, SORTA COO John Ravasio said federal law prohibits SORTA from competing with private charter operators, which led to SORTA not submitting a bid to provide services to CPS.

Eleven of the 15 principals participated in a survey regarding SORTA/Metro bus services between October 14-25.

"The money is there," said Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley. "The only thing stopping us now is the relocation of the substation that Duke Energy owns, and some negotiations with the railroads."

Cincinnati Public Schools and SORTA representatives discussed transportation and hiring issues during a city Budget and Finance Committee meeting Monday.

The policy will be discussed further Thursday at 9 a.m. by the Policy and Equity Committee. Meanwhile, the search for a new superintendent and student issues with Metro bus service continue.

"With all of the uncertainty that surrounds that start of school because of COVID, layer in you're also going to have to navigate a bus system that you've never been asked to navigate before (and that) adds a lot of stress," Katie Carroll Smith said about her stepson preparing to take Metro buses to get to Walnut Hills High School.

Additional safeguards will be in place for CPS students following the elimination of XTRA Service Routes before the start of the school year.

Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers say that the cuts will mean extra travel time and multiple bus transfers, but students might not be the only ones affected.