Cleveland City Schools considers changing school start times

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — Cleveland City Schools (CCS) announced that they are considering changing their school start times.

They will be sending an email to staff and families that will include a survey. In that survey, you can give input on the potential school start times.

CCS said the survey will be open until Wednesday, March 22.

The reason they are considering the change is because of the shortage of bus drivers that Tennessee schools are facing. CCS does not believe this shortage will improve any time soon.

If the change is approved, it will take effect in the upcoming school year.

The schools are considering the following three options for school start times:

Option 1:

• Cleveland Middle and Candy’s Creek Cherokee Elementary – 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• Cleveland High and Yates Primary – 7:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Other elementary schools – 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Option 2:

• Cleveland Elementary – 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• Cleveland Middle – 7:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
• Cleveland High – 9:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Option 3:

• Cleveland Elementary – 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Cleveland Middle and High – 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

CCS said they created these options based on recommendations from a recent transportation study and system leadership.

“The study showed that no matter what we considered, to improve our driver retention and availability we would have to adjust our start times at the schools to allow for more time to pick up children,” Director of Operations Hal Taylor said.

The Cleveland City Board of Education said changing the school start times may improve the consistency of bus routes. The change would stagger the bus routes as well.

“We know change can be difficult, especially when it impacts adults and children but this change may be imperative to ensure students receive uninterrupted education,” Dr. Russell Dyer said. “If changes aren’t considered, we could face similar problems in the upcoming school year.”