Bus Shortage Sparks School Choice Debate | Columbus News

Ohio’s bus driver shortage is crippling student transportation, with only 14% of open positions filled last year, sparking fierce debate over how public and private schools handle getting kids to school. A state workgroup proposed sweeping changes to ensure safe, reliable transit for all students — including busing to private or community schools even on non-school days — but couldn’t agree on the root problems. While everyone supports “school choice,” disagreements erupted over funding, especially around the outdated “impracticality” loophole that lets districts avoid busing students to private schools with cash payments — a system that fails low-income families and those with inflexible work schedules. The group urged ending that loophole and boosting state support for driver recruitment and full transportation funding, but critics argue public school students should come first — especially since private school vouchers already get heavy state funding. With lawmakers showing little urgency, the future of school transportation remains uncertain. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a0e982256ae44f1b