But on Tuesday, a group of alderpersons and CPS parents gathered outside CPS headquarters to say it is far from enough. And they are placing the blame on the CPS CEO, Pedro Martinez.
Five months after CPS announced plans for a new transportation hub program to provide busing for more students, the pilot program is expected to roll out on Monday.
However, it is only available for select students, which has many parents frustrated by what they say are the same limited options for getting their kids to school.
"The families with the means to do it are making it work. It's the 85% of students, who are low-income, who are suffering, right? Those are the families who had to have them drop out of schools that they love because they can't get them there," said CPS parent Erin Schubert.
In response to these concerns, CPS is introducing a hub stop pilot program. The hubs are centralized pick-up and drop-off locations at specific CPS schools. Eligible students meet the bus at the designated hub, and then a bus will transport them to and from their school of choice.
But according to Schubert, the online advocacy group CPS Parents for Busses has more than 500 members. She says only two of those families reported being routed to one of the new transportation hubs.
"From 2019 to 2024, CPS transportation, according to their own budget, is projected to spend at least $42 million more to transport 36% fewer students," Schubert said.
Meanwhile, CPS shared updated numbers in response, saying the district is transporting 12,560 students, a 41% increase since this time last year. They are addressing the needs of magnet and selective enrollment students specifically, CPS says, and "additional stops and eligible general education students may be added throughout the school year as capacity permits."
When asked if Tuesday's meeting is an effort to use the ongoing bus issue to sway the board of education to remove Martinez from power, 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa said that is the board's call.
"I think that the buck stops with the CEO. He wears the title; he wears the jacket. It's his responsibility to address the issues within the system," Ramirez-Rosa said. "His full-time job is to provide leadership for this district, and on this issue, he has failed to provide leadership."
Ramirez-Rosa says this group's goal Tuesday is to make their appeal to new board members.
The board meets Wednesday morning. It remains to be seen if busing will be discussed.
In a statement, CPS said,
"Chicago Public Schools (CPS) remains committed to collaborating with vendors, city partners, and families to ensure every student eligible for bus transportation has access to it.
"Amid the national bus driver shortage and in alignment with District policies and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), CPS has prioritized school bus transportation for our most vulnerable students - those students with disabilities (SwD) or those in temporary living situations (STLS).
"As of Dec. 2, CPS, via our yellow school bus vendors, is transporting 12,560 District students(SwD: 11,861; STLS:118; Gen Ed: 583), an increase of 41 percent over last year at this time. Additionally, with 874 drivers employed, the District now has the highest number of drivers since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Beginning Dec. 9, the District will launch the Hub Stop Pilot Program, which will begin transporting some general education students who attend magnet or selective enrollment elementary schools and that are eligible for yellow bus transportation. This pilot program aims to expand transportation access as the District works to serve eligible general education students.
"The District will initially launch this pilot program with a limited number of CPS schools serving as Hub Stops. Additional stops and eligible general education students may be added throughout the school year as capacity permits.
"The District will continue to monitor the implementation of hub stops and will make adjustments as necessary to ensure a smooth transition and optimal service for all eligible students.
"District leaders empathize and are acutely aware of the logistical challenges, from long commute times to upended family and work schedules, for the families of those students who have been without yellow school bus transportation from the District for the past couple of years and that is why our leaders have never stopped exploring all possible solutions.
"To date, the District has:
- Increased bus driver wages twice
- Advocated for reasonable bus driver state testing and certification requirements
- Added $1,000 driver retention bonus
-Paid for and provided Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Ventra cards to students and a companion at no cost and assisted with more funding for before- and after-school supports.
- Implemented adjusted bell times by 15 minutes at 36 District schools.
- Collaborated with vendor partners who provide alternative modes of transportation."