Redding schools face shortage of bus drivers, substitute teachers as school year begins

Wednesday was the first day of school in Redding as yellow buses returned to the roads and students were back in class.

Later start times were new for most public schools in Redding. A California law that went into effect July 1 says high schools generally cannot begin classes any earlier than 8:30 a.m. and middle schools can't start no sooner than 8 a.m.

Enterprise High School Principal Ryan Johnson noted Wednesday that some parents were dropping off their students at the same time as previous years so there will be an adjustment period.

The idea is to give youths more time to sleep. Although schools can have zero period classes that begin at 7:30 a.m.

U-Prep Superintendent/Principal Rochelle Angley said her Redding campus previously adopted the later hours. Her sixth- through eighth-grade classes start at 8 a.m. while ninth through 12th grades begin at 8:30 a.m.

"We've been doing that for a few years now," she said. "We saw that coming so we thought why not try it."

Another challenge for some schools is filling staff openings. The job posting website edjoin.org lists a number of open positions ranging from teachers to aides to sports coaches for Redding and Shasta County.

For Angley, the challenge is making sure there's enough substitute teachers available.

Otherwise, Angley and her staff were enjoying the first day of school.

"We're so excited to welcome our new students and start the year seeing smiling faces," she said.

Katy Martin is the transportation director for the Shasta County Office of Education who oversees the bus yard on Grange Street in Redding.

Drivers there are responsible for busing special needs students and kids attending Chrysalis Charter School.

Martin has had to condense her routes to 20 due to three open bus driver positions, but is hopeful about gaining at least one new hire soon.

In the meantime, she and a supervisor each needed to take a route Wednesday.

"It was great to see all the kids. They were excited to be back. I think they were ready, so it was very good," Martin said.

Mike Chapman is an award-winning reporter and photographer for the Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif. His newspaper career spans Yreka and Eureka in Northern California and Bellingham, Wash. Support local journalism by subscribing today.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding schools facing teacher, bus driver shortage in 2022