- Forest Park Elementary School
Columbus City Schools Update on Transportation of Students in Mediation
September 26, 2024 -- This summer, Columbus City Schools identified students that we have been transporting to charter and nonpublic schools over the years beyond the requirements of the law. Transporting these students was overcommitting our staffing levels and keeping us from providing reliable and efficient routing for all students, including students who attend our schools, charter and nonpublic schools. The change made was based on Ohio law, it was necessary, and it has improved overall transportation for all students. We continue to transport more than 9,000 students to charter and nonpublic schools.
Families of approximately 102 of these students have rejected payment in lieu of transportation and are challenging our decision by requesting mediation through the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Ohio law requires Columbus City Schools to continue transporting students during the mediation process or pay a fine to the family. Columbus City Schools has been working with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to ensure compliance with Ohio law. The Transportation team has been diligently working to identify routes for the 102 students who are currently in mediation and trying to minimize the negative impact this will have on the thousands of other students who rely on us to get to school.
On Wednesday, the Ohio Attorney General filed an emergency motion to compel us to transport the 102 students in mediation we were already working to transport.
Routing additional students will most likely create hardships for students already being transported, including the more than 9,000 charter and nonpublic school students we already transport. Any and all changes to pick up and drop off times will be communicated to all affected families and schools.
Columbus City Schools is working diligently with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to reach solutions to make Columbus City Schools transportation tenable for all students and will continue to follow Ohio law, as we have done throughout this process.