Cincinnati Public Schools to cut some yellow buses, place more middle schoolers on Metro
The district's board of education approved moving the seventh- and eighth-grade students from yellow school buses to Cincinnati Metro during a recent business meeting.
The cost-cutting measure comes as the district works this month to bridge a roughly $50 million budget gap between the current fiscal year and the upcoming one before the June 30 deadline. That gap was prompted by a decrease in government funds, and not, according to the district, due to overspending.
The change impacts 1,260 students across 13 schools, the district's Chief Operating Officer Chris Burkhardt said, and will save the district almost $3 million per year. Most of Cincinnati Public Schools' high school students already ride Metro buses, as do some seventh and eighth-graders.
Roughly 10,500 students rode Metro buses for school transportation last school year and roughly 2,800 of them were seventh and eighth graders. The board approved moving seventh and eighth-graders who attend grades seven to 12 schools to Metro busing last July.
The decision to increase student ridership was made despite recent concerns about teen violence in Downtown and Oakley connected to students from Cincinnati Public Schools riding the Metro buses. A handful of high schoolers riding Metro were involved in brawls and an assault at bus stations in 2024. Metro and the district said they have been working to address safety concerns.
School board member Ben Lindy said moving more students to Metro was a difficult decision. However, district officials said they meet regularly with Metro to address student safety concerns.
"Given our experience these past few years and the work our transportation team has done," Lindy said, "I think this is a tough but right decision."
This upcoming school year, students will ride Metro buses even if they attend a school that also serves younger grades, such as a K-12 school or one with kids from sixth through eighth grades. The switch also affects some high schoolers who were not assigned to ride Metro in the past.
The following schools are impacted by the change:
Academy of Multilingual Immersion Studies.
Academy of World Languages.
Hartwell School.
LEAP Academy.
Mt. Washington School.
Oyler School.
Pleasant Hill Academy.
Roberts Academy.
Roselawn Condon School.
Sayler Park School.
School for Creative and Performing Arts.
South Avondale School.
Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students.
High schoolers at Sayler Park School and Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students will now ride Metro if they choose to use a bus system.
The district said it anticipates saving about $2.9 million annually based on internal cost comparisons. Yellow bus service costs an average of $3,085 per student, while Metro costs approximately $364 per student.
Students can choose which high school they want to attend, and with Metro, the district doesn't need to hire a yellow bus to take a small number of students to and from a specific school, Burkhardt said. Metro has pre-determined routes that can carry students across the city.
Burkhardt said he meets weekly with Metro to discuss student safety and to determine if changes need to be made. One of the areas they've worked to address is Government Square. In January 2024, there were multiple high-profile attacks in Downtown, which police traced back to students who congregated at Government Square.
Individuals from the district, Metro, Cincinnati police and the city of Cincinnati worked together to create a larger adult presence at the bus station. A group of community outreach specialists has been staffed at the stop, watching the students and passing out flyers for job opportunities and various programming since February 2024.
Metro spokesperson Brandy Jones said the community ambassadors will continue to be at Government Square and the Northside Transit Center every day during the upcoming school year.
The district said it also tries to ensure that only students who absolutely need to transfer through Government Square do so.
"It takes a village," Burkhardt said. "It takes all of us working together to make sure that students not only are safe, but that they feel safe."
Jones said Metro has several measures in place for the safety of all passengers. Metro buses and transit centers have cameras and security monitors. Metro also contracts with the Cincinnati Police Department to staff transit centers and to conduct random rides on routes.
If students have any issues while riding, Jones said, they are encouraged to notify the bus operator, who will address the concern or call for assistance.
"Historically, we rarely have any safety issues involving students riding with the general public," said Jones.
Officials from the district and transit company said they are working together to help students who are new to riding Metro. Jones outlined the following reminders to help students adjust to public transportation:
The bus service encourages parents to ride the route with their student prior to the first day of class.
Parents can ride with their student to class free of charge during the first week of school.
Metro staff members will attend orientation sessions at schools to answer questions and help parents identify the best route for their student.
Parents can visit go-metro.com/riding-metro/student-programs/ for answers to frequently asked questions.
Jones said Metro has provided transportation to students for more than 50 years. "What we have found, year over year … is that students are pretty adaptable," she said, "and it's a pretty smooth travel experience to and from class."
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Public Schools places 1,200 more students on Metro buses
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