A Philadelphia school district is offering to pay families $300 a month if they drive their children to and from school as part of a program aimed at addressing a bus driver shortage.

Under the Parent Flat Rate Transportation Program at the School District of Philadelphia, eligible parents who opt out of district bus, van or cab assignments and instead drive their children to and from school will get $300 a month, or $3,000 for the school year. The offer, which began in 2020 as a pilot program, is rolling out in full for the first time this school year, which is set to begin next week.

Families who only drive their child to school in the morning but use district transportation in the afternoon will get $150 a month, or $1,500 for the school year. Parents will not get paid for each child they drive to school, and will receive one monthly check per household.

The school district currently has 210 bus drivers, with 105 openings still available, according to WTXF-TV. Full-time bus drivers with the district can make nearly $45,000 a year, with part-time drivers able to make more than $23,000.

The school district is actively hiring for full-time and part-time bus drivers, bus attendants and van chauffeurs, according to its hiring website.

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Eligibility

Eligibility for the program varies by school and student, according to the district. If the student is eligible for district-provided transportation, then they are considered eligible for the program. Here's what else factors into eligibility:

• The student must be a resident of the city of Philadelphia
• Students must generally live 1.5 miles or farther from their school
• Busing services are generally provided to students in first through fifth grades, so the student's grade level may matter
• Designated schools have eligible students whose route to school is determined to be hazardous by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
• A student who has an individualized education plan specific to transportation
• If their school receives district-provided busing services

Families who use the school selection option are generally not eligible for busing services, according to the school district.

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