With elementary school start times shifting to an 8:55 a.m. start, we are working with our current provider, JCPRD, to reach solutions to accommodate a potential increase in need for childcare and exploring additional before/after-school care options and services. Once that information is finalized, it will be communicated to all parents. We encourage parents to begin planning now for a later arrival time that will begin in August 2024. Learn more about JCPRD and read enrollment information. The current JCPRD times will remain in place for next year (7 a.m.- 6 p.m). 

Most school districts across the nation are experiencing bus driver shortages. However, it is important to point out that we have enough bus drivers now to accommodate a change to a three-tier system and return to our full range of services provided in the 22-23 school year.  

Moving to a three-tier bus schedule system will provide service for all eligible riders, shorter bus rides, lower capacity per bus, and more potential for field trips. Having one bus that serves two or three building levels means a smaller bus fleet, fewer miles, lower fuel costs, and no need to use a third-party transit vendor for some routes. 
 
Because of some of the unique variables that we have in our district (21st Century Academies, Early Childhood, Head Start, Jump Start transportation, etc.) it is hard to compare to other school districts in the area. Although we may continue to see labor shortage issues consistent with the national labor market, it will not be at the magnitude that we have experienced in the past by moving to the three-tier system. 
 
We have been and will continue to be in close contact with DS Bus Lines throughout this process to ensure that this schedule change will help alleviate the number of drivers needed for our particular situation in Olathe Public Schools.

The district will reinstate payride service at the secondary level, re-analyze safety variances, and continue to review the other interventions in place for the current school year.

Take a look at the surrounding school districts' start and end times (PDF document).

The national bus driver shortage is affecting both external companies and school districts that choose to staff their transportation in-house. If there was an easy fix, such as switching bus companies or hiring our own bus drivers, the district would have chosen to do so beginning last school year. The district is under contract with DS Bus Lines until 2026 and will consider all options in the future as that deadline approaches. Altering the start and end times will help facilitate a three-tiered busing system that would require fewer drivers, regardless of the transportation company. At this time, this is the most sustainable solution to provide equitable access to educational opportunities for all students.

Watch a video explaining the schedule recommendation for high school start and end time. 

No, there is no language in the contract with DS Bus Lines that requires the district to move to a three-tiered bus system. The contract does include language that encourages both the district and DS Bus Lines to find areas for efficiencies and cost savings within the transportation system and to negotiate any changes to the contract in good faith.

The district believes it would be able to save approximately $750,000 by switching to a three-tier system, pending any changes to labor and market costs.

Before- and after-school extracurriculars, activities, and athletics will continue to be offered. District and building administrators will work with teachers and sponsors to make adjustments to rehearsals, practice times, etc. as needed based on the schedule changes. In addition, the district's Start/End Time Committees comprised of parents and staff have been tasked with identifying solutions to the challenges and opportunities presented by each schedule option, including the impact on athletics and activities.

While not everybody utilizes the district’s bus services, the possibility of adjusting school start/end times impacts everybody. Additionally, while your child may not use the bus to get to/from schools, there are several instances where your child may still be impacted by bus transportation, including, but not limited to, field trips, athletic/activities transportation, etc. 

Yes, the district has implemented a variety of interventions for the 2023-24 school year to address transportation challenges including, but not limited to, eliminating payrider services at middle and high school, charging payride service for 21st Century Academy transportation, limiting field trip availability and more. However, the most promising solution that would allow us to remove several of the interventions currently in place and provide equal access to educational opportunities is adjusting school start/end times to move to a three-tiered bus system.  

No, the district is not considering a shift to a 4-day school week at this time.

In a three-tier system, school start times and end times are adjusted so that most buses can complete up to three routes each day, more efficiently using the current number of bus drivers available. Watch this video to learn more about a three-tier system.

It depends, but it is possible that a change in start/end times would require some modifications to staff contract time at certain levels. If the Board of Education votes to implement any new start/end times, the ONEA (district bargaining unit) would need to ratify the proposal as part of their negotiations.

No. The district, along with other school districts both locally and nationally, has been facing a steady decline in bus drivers for the past several years. This is due to a variety of factors, including competition from other industries as well as drivers choosing not to return to the profession.

Yes. The district currently partners with JCPRD to provide childcare and will continue to work with them throughout this process as parent needs change. JCPRD is currently offered at every school building. Learn more about JCPRD and read enrollment information.

Many of our neighboring school districts have already been forced to take steps with their transportation providers to address this challenge, from eliminating services and routes entirely to adjusting school start/end times. We know we will need to find a solution to provide timely and equitable transportation for our students.

As a school district, we are federally mandated to transport students with special needs, as well as students protected under the McKinney Vento Act. In addition, we are required by law to transport any student who lives more than 2.5 miles from their home school.

In Olathe Public Schools, we have historically made a commitment to offering payrider transportation for many residences within 2.5 miles of their school, as well as providing transportation for any student participating in a 21st Century Academy outside of their normal attendance boundary to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to participate in the programs. Unfortunately, we have had to eliminate or adjust these services due to the current start/end times.

Because of these factors, along with the sheer size of our district as the largest in the metro area, we require a greater number of bus drivers to serve our students.

Those who are interested in applying to be a bus driver can do so on the DS Bus Lines website.  

The district’s bus service provider, DS Bus Lines, has implemented substantial recruitment efforts, including signing/retention bonuses. In addition, the district has implemented several interventions for the 2023-24 school year, including elimination of payride services at the middle and high school level, transitioning to payride service for 21st Century Academies, limitations to field trip availability and more. Read a full list of interventions currently in place here.