St. Louis school district will pay families to drive kids to school amid bus driver shortage

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis’ school district is offering to pay some families to drive their kids to school as part of an effort to offset a shortage of bus drivers. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the plan was detailed in a letter sent Monday to St. Louis Public Schools parents. Under the plan, families who have experienced “chronic bus absenteeism” this school year will receive gas cards for the next two weeks. Starting May 13, all families in the district “willing to transport their children” can receive $75 for each of the last two weeks of school. The funding will be available to families whose students are not tardy or absent more than once a week.