PARMA, Ohio — While many public school districts decided to begin the year with online classes, it doesn't mean school buses will remain parked. That's because state law requires districts to transport private school students to and from classes if they return to in-person learning.
"By the end of next week we'll have 31 buses out on the road," said Angelo Caputo, director of transportation for Parma City Schools.
Those buses won't be carrying Parma students. The district decided to hold classes online for the first nine weeks because of coronavirus concerns. Instead, those buses will be carrying private school students to buildings across the area.
"We go into Cleveland and we go into Broadview and Brecksville Heights," said Caputo, "We go into North Royalton, we go into Berea."
That's because, unlike many public school districts in Cuyahoga County, many private schools opted to start the school year with students attending classes in-person.
In Parma, 400 private school students opted to take the bus to and from school this fall.
"There are schools that are in-session and we, legally, by law, have to transport these students," said Caputo.
It's something that doesn't make sense to Donna Crockett, a grandmother of 11 children. Crockett thinks it's ridiculous that buses are still transporting students while Parma schools are closed.
"It would be like half the stores re-opening and the other half not," said Crockett. "I feel like it needs to be across the board."
Caputo estimates busing private school students will cost the district $250,000 for the first nine weeks.
But Caputo said it's something the district just has to deal with.
"These students live in our district, and they are entitled to the same types of services as everyone is," he said.
