News Release: PGCPS Announces New School Bell Times For 2024-25 School Year

April 25, 2024
For Immediate Release

CONTACT:
Office of Communications
301-952-6001
communications@pgcps.org

84% of schools have no change or a shift of 15 minutes or less, with no school shifting more than 45 minutes.

UPPER MARLBORO, MD — On Thursday, April 25, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) unveiled new school start and end times for the 2024-2025 academic year, one of several adjustments designed to improve efficiency and ensure safe, punctual transportation for students to and from school. 

Presently, the district has 13 morning school start times and 17 dismissal times. Beginning next school year, new standard bell times will reduce that to three start times and six dismissal times.

Here’s how school bell times shifted for PGCPS schools:

• 22% of schools (41 schools) have no change in bell times 
• 62% (118 schools) have a bell time shift of 15 minutes or less 
• 8% of schools (16 schools) have a bell time shift of 16 to 30 minutes
• 8% of schools (15 schools) have a bell time shift of 31 to 45 minutes

Streamlining bell times is one of five strategies being implemented as phase one of transportation improvements. Other actions include adjustments to bus assignments and bus stop locations, an opt-out option for families who do not require transportation services and a focus on customer service — notably improving the functionality and reliability of the district’s school bus tracking app.

Improving reliability of transportation services for the district’s 85,000 school bus riders (the eighth highest ridership in the nation) was an immediate action outlined in Superintendent House’s 90-Day Report following an audit that identified ways to improve operational efficiency.

"Transportation has long been a pressing issue for our community, and we are taking steps toward a long-term solution," said Superintendent Millard House II. "Our goal is to ensure that every child arrives at school on time and ready to learn — and we believe these strategies will lead to an improvement in the quality of our school bus service moving forward.”

"By ensuring that 84% of bell times remain unchanged or shift by no more than 15 minutes, we are taking a modest approach that will yield significant benefits in balancing trip distribution, minimizing delays, and optimizing our buses and drivers," said Chief Operating Officer Dr. Charoscar Coleman.

In the coming weeks and months, PGCPS will ensure stakeholders are informed about forthcoming changes to plan ahead and prepare for any necessary adjustments. 

Community information sessions in each of PGCPS’ nine Board of Education districts are currently underway as an opportunity for parents and community members to learn more about transportation improvements, ask questions and provide feedback.

More information about transportation improvements can be found at pgcps.org/bus.

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