A Message from Superintendent of School, Dr. Keisha Scarlett

SLPS Families,

We want to update you on the status of our transportation contract with Missouri Central Bus Company and the ongoing challenges in transportation we have been dealing with in recent months.

Officials at the Missouri Central Bus Company have decided they are not able to consistently meet the terms of the contract they signed with Saint Louis Public Schools. For that reason, they are exercising a clause to terminate the contract as of July 12, 2024.  They have committed to completing the school year, and Camp SLPS summer programs.

Saint Louis Public Schools will release a “Request for Proposals” this week for a new vendor(s) to provide bus service.  It is our hope to provide a stable and equitable work environment for the drivers currently working for Missouri Central.  We want them to continue to transport our students.

Missouri Central has not been able to meet our expectations as a transportation provider.  They have been unable to keep enough drivers employed to get our children to school each day.  They have had internal controversies surrounding racial and safety issues. These situations have impacted our families’ ability to get their children to school. The premature ending of this contract will be challenging, but it is also an opportunity to revamp our transportation system.

Our goal is to provide safe and consistent bus service for Saint Louis Public Schools’ students.  As we move forward, we will exhaust all possibilities in our search for the best possible transportation system for our students and families.  In the event of transportation disruptions before the end of the academic year, we are activating ways to support our families in their efforts to get students to school.  

Thank you for your support as we move forward.

Sincerely,

Dr. Keisha Scarlett
Superintendent, Saint Louis Public Schools