Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) faced a major transportation scramble at the start of the 2026‑27 school year, leaving roughly 10,000 students without bus assignments. In a Wednesday night telephone town hall, Superintendent Shawn Joseph publicly accepted responsibility and outlined a concrete plan to restore reliable service for families across the county.
Superintendent takes ownership
“For every child who was left waiting, for every parent whose morning, afternoon work schedule, or sense of security was disrupted, I apologize,” Joseph said, emphasizing that “the buck stops with me.” He explained that the district’s routing office fell behind before school began, and senior leaders only realized the magnitude of the problem on the first day of classes.
Immediate actions and a dedicated surge team
The district has cleared the original backlog of bus assignments, but a 27‑member transportation surge team remains active. The team is reviewing routes for errors, unusually long ride times, and stop locations to ensure that every child receives a safe, door‑to‑door ride whenever possible. Chief Operating Officer Charoscar Coleman confirmed that the review includes routing, staff training, and the Chipmunk app used by parents to track buses.
Leadership changes to stabilize service
Transportation Director Keba Baldwin stepped down on Sunday to pursue another professional opportunity. Former PGCPS Chief Operating Officer Mark Fossett is now serving as acting transportation director and leading a transition team focused on stabilizing service, improving customer service, and filling critical vacancies.
Parents still experiencing issues
Some families continue to face challenges. One parent, Heather Morgan, reported that the Chipmunk app repeatedly indicated a bus was arriving when it never did. Another parent, identified only as Debbie, said her son at Kettering Middle School went a full week without a bus and, when service finally arrived, the route stopped two streets away from his home instead of providing a door‑to‑door ride.
How families can get help
Coleman urged parents with unresolved transportation problems to email [email protected] or contact their child’s school case manager. He stressed that the district will not simply ask families to be patient while the system improves.
Commitment to a better system
Joseph concluded the town hall with a clear promise: “We will not ask families to simply be patient while we wait for the system to get better. We have to make it better.” The administration’s proactive steps—maintaining the surge team, reviewing the entire transportation operation, and installing new leadership—signal a decisive effort to protect families’ schedules and peace of mind.
Why this matters to the community
Reliable school transportation is a cornerstone of stable family life. When buses run on time, parents can keep their jobs, children arrive safely at school, and neighborhoods maintain the rhythm that supports strong, traditional families. The Trump administration’s emphasis on local control and parental rights aligns with PGCPS’s effort to place decision‑making back in the hands of the community.
As the district works through the remaining glitches, parents are encouraged to stay engaged, report issues promptly, and trust that the surge team’s ongoing review will deliver the dependable service every family deserves.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
