YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Board of Education has adopted a motion to form an ad hoc committee to address transportation challenges in the district as it prepares to implement a two-phase reconfiguration plan beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

In its 7-0 vote during its regular meeting Tuesday at East High School, the board decided such a committee was necessary to gain traction on tackling the problem via returning to using school buses to transport the students.

In June 2024, the board voted to discontinue district-provided transportation for high school students, as well as charter and nonpublic high schools for which the district had provided the service, with an exception for those with transportation as part of their individualized educational plans. As a result, nearly all of the students have used Western Reserve Transit Authority city buses to get to and from school.

The driving force behind the move was a shortage of bus drivers, which is a continuing problem not only in Youngstown, but statewide, Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor has said.

Before voting on the motion, the board heard a presentation from Nancy Mikos, business manager, who noted that the primary challenge has been chronic driver absenteeism. To counteract that problem, the district is offering to pay prospective drivers $24 per hour to be trained six hours per day and five days weekly. In return, they will be required to work in the district at least 18 months, she said.

The Youngstown City School District has about 76 drivers and bus aides, Mikos said, adding that drivers earn $24.78 hourly, as per the newest contract that was ratified earlier this year.

In addition, the district is hiring bus aides, she continued. Those interested are asked to visit www.ycs.org to apply.

Batchelor said he welcomes outside ideas and input regarding solving the transportation problem and any aspect of moving the district forward and prioritizing students’ needs.

“Everyone’s working hard, but we have to work smarter,” he said, adding, “(Students) are my focus; they are not an afterthought.”

RECOGNITIONS

Also at the session, the board recognized 14 students in Choffin Career and Technical Center’s dental assistant program who were given Ohio State Dental Board certificates after having passed the Ohio State Dental Radiology Licensing clinical exam Nov. 19.

The two-part test consisted of a written portion of 50 questions that state officials graded, along with a clinical radiography exam that had 36 dental X-rays that a licensed area dentist graded. As a result, the students are licensed to take X-rays, Robyn Markovitch, Choffin’s dental assistant teacher, noted.

Eight of the 14 students have externships with area dentists and two already have job prospects, Markovitch said.

“This opens a lot of doors and opportunities for these girls,” she added.

The 14 YOUMed students who achieved the honor were Lorielys Burgos, Sydney Ellison, Isabella Gentile, Syraya Gordon, Dierra McCullough, Yomayris Montanez Garcia, Kamilla Montanez-Serrano, Alanis Ortiz Lopez, Regina Rivera, Victoria Rodriguez, Joniyah Rounsaville, Celina Santiago, Zy’erra Vines and Michaela Wilder.

The next regular board of education meeting is set for 5 p.m. Jan. 13 at Youngstown Rayen Early College High School on West Wood Street.