NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Big changes could be coming to Pasco County public school students.

The district is proposing changes to the bell schedule.

The bus driver shortage is causing multiple problems for the district.


What You Need To Know


Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning explained the proposed changes in a video posted to the district's You Tube page.

“The result of this acute shortage is that many of our students are late arriving at school in the morning,” Browning said. “Which results in loss of instructional time. And they are late arriving at home in the afternoon and early evening which puts a strain on families.”

The district has tried several strategies to remedy the situation like financial incentives, pay increases, and job fairs.

The strategies have helped but have not solved the problem.

Schedule changes are just a proposal and will be discussed at an upcoming meeting. If the bell changes take effect this would happen in January.

Browning said by having some schools start earlier and some start later, they can widen the window of opportunity for students to arrive on time.