The school has already had 150 parents sign up for the opportunity.
Schools are coming up with creative ways to get kids to class amid the pandemic, which has seen a shortage of bus drivers in some areas. EastSide Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware, is offering $700 to parents for each child they pick up and drop off from school.
"EastSide wants to pay you $700 for the year for dropping off and picking up each child from school (example — if you have 3 children we would give you $2,100)," according to a notice released by the school.
"Delaware is currently facing a bus driver shortage. We believe that empowering parents is the best solution," the posting continues, and asks parents to fill out a form if they are interested in taking advantage of the opportunity.
The school has already had 150 parents sign up for the opportunity, the Washington Post reported. The school has 500 students in total. The school won’t stop bus transportation for families who require it, but due to the bus driver shortage, they need help, CBS News reported.
Delaware isn't the only state experiencing the bus driver shortage, which is one of many shortages in a variety of industries. Pittsburgh public schools told more than 800 students that they will have to walk to school because they do not have enough bus drivers, and also delayed school openings for the same reason, KDKA reported.
In Chesterfield, Virginia, another school district is asking parents to drive their kids to school as they have a shortage of about a 100 bus drivers, CBS News reported.
In order to combat the shortage, some school districts are offering bonuses to bus drivers who agree to drive for the year, including a Vermont district, which is offering $1,000. Other schools are offering raised hourly wages.
