Though the school year is underway in metro Atlanta, districts are still trying to hire dozens of bus drivers and teachers.
The DeKalb County School District, for example, is seeking about 75 bus drivers to add to its staff of about 600 — a situation that’s much improved compared to last year. The district was still hiring for 150 bus drivers two months into the prior academic year.
District officials recruit for the roles year-round, and offer hiring and retention bonuses. But it’s not uncommon in recent years for schools to begin the year without enough bus drivers, thanks to factors like declining state funding, a reduction in the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic and competition with private employers.
The number of openings varies widely by school district in the metro Atlanta area. While Fulton schools still needs to hire 133 bus drivers out of its 805 spots and Cobb needs 40, school systems in Clayton and Gwinnett counties are fully staffed. Atlanta Public Schools is also fully staffed, but seeking 30 additional drivers.
Lysander Herrod is one of DeKalb’s newest bus drivers. He worked for MARTA for about 20 years, retired and took some time off, and is ready to be back behind the wheel. It was an easy choice for him.
“I could have been a truck driver, I could have been anything, but I knew I wanted to drive a school bus,” he said. “I knew I could be a help to some kids.”
Bus driver salaries start at $20.81 an hour in DeKalb. Drivers are paid during training, and full-time drivers are eligible for full benefits. New and existing drivers are also eligible for $2,000 bonuses this year. The Cobb County School District raised the starting pay for bus drivers to $25 in 2022, and at the time credited that move with a surge in applications.
In the face of the shortage, DeKalb is relying on teachers, media specialists and supervisors to help drive buses. It’s also asking parents and students to use the Edulog Parent Portal, which gives real-time updates about bus locations. And hiring for the open positions is ongoing.
“If you’re a people person and if you love kids, and if you want to see kids succeed — this is the job for you,” Herrod said.
Like bus drivers, the number of teacher vacancies varies by school district.
Clayton schools had openings for 221 teachers in late July. DeKalb has openings for 129 teachers for its staff of about 5,700. Fulton schools is hiring 91 teachers for its staff of about 6,200. Gwinnett began the year with openings for 22 teachers, for a staff of almost 13,000. Cobb had “fewer than 10″ openings, a spokesperson said. And APS had no vacancies for teachers.
How to apply
For more information about open positions, visit each district’s hiring website:
- APS
- Clayton
- Cobb
- DeKalb
- Fulton
- Gwinnett
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