Many parents drive their kids to school but not all get paid to do it.
Facing a bus driver shortage, EastSide Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware came up with a very appealing incentive program for families. Just imagine getting paid for simply dropping your kids off at school. For one school, it seemed like their only option.
The program would offer parents $700 per child, per school year, for dropping off and picking up their child from school.
Not surprisingly, EastSide Charter is seeing a positive response from families about the program. The cars line up outside the school and Principal Aaron Bass greets the students as they come out of the car.
The school’s website states, “EastSide wants to pay you $700 for the year for dropping off and picking up each child from school…if you have 3 children we would give you $2,100.”
“It’s a win-win for everybody,” – Principal Bass of EastSide Charter School
The school only has 1/3 of the drivers available due to the pandemic. – fox8.com This, unfortunately, made it difficult for some kids to attend school at all. Principal Aaron told fox8.com – “Sometimes we have no buses at all so we don’t know how we would be able to get children to school.”
According to the National School Transportation Association, the “nationwide need for school bus drivers is expected to remain at “critical levels” over the coming months, with impacts to the industry’s ability to provide consistent service stretching well into the school year.” – cnn.com
Parents were on board with the program for a number of reasons.
“I was nervous about putting them on the bus because buses are so tight as it is and with the bus driver shortage it makes me feel better about sending them back to school after them being virtual for the entire year.” – one parent told – fox8.com
Principal Aaron knew there were a couple of factors going on that helped this program succeed.
He mentioned that it was a combination of ‘the peace of mind and the cash incentive are encouraging parents to step up and get through this school bus crisis.‘ – fox8.com
Many parents online agree with the school’s program.
One commenter online wrote,
“I think a lot of School Districts should definitely do this because my kid’s school district have been having at least 5 buses that do not have drivers. My kid’s district is starting to combine 4 bus routes into one which I don’t think will work.”
Another person wrote,
“It’s a great idea. Families that can’t get their kids to school can now. Stay-at-home parents, parents with weird working hours, or remotely working parents with some free time can make extra money.”
One of the parents happily exclaimed, “We get paid…that’s a bonus!”
The school’s new incentive program helps to further their belief that ’empowering parents is the best solution’ – fox8.com. EastSide Charter will still offer transportation for kids who are in need, however, they are happy to have the parent’s support when drivers are short. Now they can be certain that all 483 students are able to get to class.
