CINCINNATI — Summer break is over for thousands of Cincinnati Public Schools students. They headed back to the classroom Thursday and from raising COVID-19 cases to a new busing contract with the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), many parents and students are left wondering what this year has in store.
The district's new superintendent Iranetta Wright has only been in the role since May but said she is well aware of the frustration these issues can cause for families.
CPS received a lot of criticism last year for switching back and forth between remote and in-person learning but according to the district, this year will be different. Wright promises greater communication with families, more transparency and said the district is fighting to make sure schools are safe when it comes to fighting the virus as students and staff work to bounce back from the pandemic.
"There is still concern when it comes to COVID," said Wright. "Helping families understand and feel comfortable that our schools are safe... and that there are mitigation strategies in place."
The way many students will get to and from school will look a little different this year too. This summer, the school board approved a new contract with SORTA that will allow students to ride Metro buses this school year.
"This year, all of our K-8 students will be on yellow buses," Wright said. "Our ninth through 12th-grade students will still ride Metro to school... It is the community routes. And so that was one of the things that was really a concern."
In the past, there were extra Metro routes specifically for CPS students but according to the district, that's no longer the case. Now, students that have to ride Metro buses to school are forced to ride with regular passengers, not just other students.
The district received pushback on the decision from both parents and students but said the resources to do it any other way this school year do not exist.
"In the state of Ohio, we're only required to transport elementary school students. But our board is committed to transporting all students," said Wright.
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