Pittsburgh Public Schools Pushes Back Start Date To Sept. 8
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet says Pittsburgh Public Schools is pushing back the start of the 2021-2022 school year to Sept. 8 for students.
"This has been a work in progress, and we felt the time was right now with two weeks left to actually tell parents based on our current situation, and we reassess the situation on a regular basis, and we don't come to this decision lightly," said Hamlet.
Hamlet said the delayed start will help Pittsburgh Public school administrators address concerns with the seat gap on school buses and staff concerns about masks in hot buildings with no air conditioning and the spread of COVID-19.
The first day for teachers to return will now be Aug. 30.
The board will vote on the adjusted calendar at a meeting scheduled for Aug. 18.
Once school does resume, students and staff will operate on a five-day, in-person schedule.
However, right now, Pittsburgh Public School officials say they are operating under a seat gap of nearly 11,000 students for transportation. They say this extra time will help them address that issue, especially for their youngest students and for students with special needs.
"The number is significantly higher than last year due to the number of students returning to school," said PPS Transportation Director Megan Patton.
This academic year, they anticipate the need to transport close to 17,596 students to and from school each weekday.
They say they are short 107 CDL (Commercial Driver's License) drivers and 157 non-CDL drivers.
School officials say approximately 1,028 students will transition from yellow school buses to Port Authority buses, joining the nearly 5,000 students currently utilizing Port Authority buses.
With changes to start times and end times for school and Port Authority buses plus two new bus companies, Patton believes the gap will be close to zero, and this two-week delay will help.
"It's giving the companies the time needed to recruit the drivers to service Pittsburgh Public Schools and get them ready for the start of school," Patton said.
Parents don't believe that two weeks will make a difference.
"They knew about this back in April. They knew in April this was going to be a problem and what did they do for 426 vacancies since then? I don't know," said Jen DuCeour.
DuCeour's son is heading to the second grade. She found out about the change in the start date from KDKA and is frustrated by the entire situation.
"It's super annoying that the superintendent does not have enough respect for parents in this district to send a text, put a robocall in, send us an email or a mailer -- anything. How am I supposed to make money to support my family if my kid is not in school? I can't afford daycare. It's ridiculous. I'm mad. That's the best way to say it, I'm really, really mad," DuCeour said.
For more information on the district's transportation plan, visit their website here.
Moving the school year back means the last day is also pushed back to June 22 for students and June 24 for teachers.
To read more about Pittsburgh Public Schools' 2021-2022 Health and Safety Plan, click here.
