As Boston Public Schools students return to classes this week, Superintendent Mary Skipper said transportation is one item at the top of her agenda.

Skipper noted relief that the 50,000-student district is starting out this year "in a very different place."

“This is the first year that we will start actually with a completely full bus driver load: 733 bus drivers. We put on the road about 630 buses, and we route about 21,000 children on those buses,” Skipper said during an interview on Boston Public Radio Tuesday.

BPS has struggled to get all its students to school before the bell rings. In 2022, the district reached an oversight agreement with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which mandates that 95% of school buses must arrive on time.

Skipper said BPS has taken steps to improve bus efficiency. Still, she acknowledged how bus-related lateness and absences affect students who receive specialized instruction and therapies. Skipper stated that this year, they have introduced an additional 150 bus monitors to address these issues.

"Many of the things that caused issues last year, we've been able to resolve," she said. "But there's always going to be room for improvement. If someone can solve Boston traffic, I want to partner with that person."

A 'productive' relationship with DESE

Boston Public Schools has also faced criticism from State Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley, who was frustrated by the district's slow progress on achieving goals set out in its state improvement plan.

In response to Riley's criticism, Mayor Michelle Wu defended the efforts of BPS officials on Boston Public Radio in July stating, "the working relationship day-to-day at the staff level has been very productive and we are meeting the vast majority of those deadlines and metrics."

Skipper added to what the mayor said: “I think it is very accurate that the meetings that we have on a weekly basis with DESE are very productive. … I'm often part of those meetings and we take their feedback and we try to implement as much as possible from what they're suggesting.”

Addressing Riley’s criticism, Skipper stated, “I think the commissioner presented the particular facts that were important to him on that given day. What I would have appreciated was to be able to holistically show all we've improved on.”

Skipper highlighted key advancements throughout the year, including increased on-time performance rates for school buses, improved staffing levels, and the opening of 86 cafeterias with an additional 20 to open soon. The safety services unit is fully staffed, and a restorative justice practice specialist has been integrated into each of the regional networks.

Skipper did not say she would be in favor of a state takeover of Boston Public Schools.

“Sometimes if you're coming from the outside, you don't necessarily know and understand and it takes you a long time to be able to take on board,” she said.

“Most of our leadership positions at this point are filled. And they're not only filled with a person, they're filled with the most talented of people, diverse of people that really know and understand Boston. They understand their particular content area,” she said. “That's what is going to be the change here in our city.”