KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Park Hill School District is the latest in the metro to propose big changes as it struggles to find enough bus drivers for next school year.

The school board heard an update on the process during a meeting Thursday evening.

The district is looking for ways to hire more bus drivers available while reducing the number of students who rely on the bus in an effort to serve all families better going forward.

To do that, the district proposed changing first and final bells at elementary and middle schools across the district.

According to the presentation only two schools will be significantly impacted if the proposal is approved.

Students attending Walden Middle School would start classes at 7:15 a.m. next year. The final bell would ring at 2:20. The shift means students would start school 55 minutes earlier than last year, and also be released 45 minutes earlier.

Chinn Elementary School could follow a similar schedule if the proposal is approved. Classes would begin at 8:15, nearly 50 minutes earlier than last year. School would end for the day at 3:15, nearly 40 minutes earlier than during the 2022-23 school year.

All other schools would be impacted by 20 minutes or less, according to the presentation to the school board.

The proposed plan also eliminates bus routes for students who live less than a mile from schools.

The district said it is working with First Student Bus Company to increase pay and benefits in hopes of attracting more drivers. It also hopes to be able to increase the number of guaranteed hours each driver can expect to work.

Guardians can see the presentation online on Park Hill Board of Education’s website.

The district’s final proposal is expected to be given to Park Hill’s Board of Education during its June 22 meeting.