Summer vacation is getting extended just a little while longer for students at Pittsburgh Public Schools.
The district is pushing back the start of the school year until September 8 -- mostly because of a bus driver shortage and also to lessen the strain of wearing masks in the heat.
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"The shift of our start date will provide the time necessary for the transportation strategies we have put in place to take hold as we welcome students back for five days of in-person instruction," Superintendent Anthony Hamlet said in a statement. "We are also listening to the concerns raised by our staff related to the impact traditionally high temperatures in August have on our facilities now coupled with the use of masks. It is our hope this challenge would be lessened in September, allowing everyone a positive start in the new school year."
The district is short of 426 bus drivers, meaning nearly 11,000 students do not have a seat. The district is working on onboarding new carriers, transitioning more students to Port Authority buses and launching an initiative that will reimburse families who commit to taking their kids to school. These initiatives are expected to cut the seat gap in half. Authorities say additional time will allow the Transportation Department to address the remaining seat gap and prioritize yellow bus and van carrier service for students in grades K-5 and those that receive specialized transportation.
The Board will vote on the adjusted school year calendar at a Special Legislative Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 18. The revised calendar will change the start of school from August 25 to September 8 for all students PreK-12. The new start date will change the last day of school for students to June 22, making the last day for teachers June 24.
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