Seattle students head back to class, but some buses could run hours late

SEATTLE — Students in the state’s largest school district are heading back into buildings Wednesday morning.

Seattle Public Schools students are going back to classrooms but there are some major concerns heading into the school year.

One issue is buses. They could be running one to two hours late because of a shortage of drivers.

COVID-19 protocols are another major concern among parents. SPS is offering free COVID-19 testing in schools.

A three-foot distance will be maintained in classrooms, but wherever else is appropriate, a six-foot distance will be required, for instance, during lunch.

That’s not the only rule concerning lunch. Students will have assigned seating they’ll have to stick to for the school year. Students cannot sit across from each other and can only have their masks off while eating and drinking.

There will also be a limit to high-risk activities such as field trips and after school in-person events for the first two months of school.

For grades K-5 there will be a virtual pilot program, but that’s not an option for grades 6 through 12.

“The short answer is that the state is not allowing that approach on a large scale and as a result we are embracing it and we’re very excited to welcome our students live and in person across our district,” Dr. Caleb Perkins, executive director of college and career readiness said.

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