A local charter school is looking for answers after administrators claim students have endured ongoing issues with CCS transportation.
Anthony Gatto, Executive Director of ACPA or the Art and College Preparatory Academy says for 18 years, the school has reached thousands throughout central Ohio.
“Half of our kids are getting here by bus,” Gatto said.
Gatto says the school, located on the east side, utilizes transportation from both Groveport Madison Local Schools and Columbus City Schools. The school leader says since the start of the current school year the school has experienced issues with the current arrangement with CCS.
“Around 20% of our kids have been late every day and are missing a significant portion of first period and are being denied their education.”
Gatto told 10TV, for the first few weeks of classes, a portion of the 7th through 12th-grade students who rode a CCS bus, missed the entire first period between 40-45 minutes of class.
School leaders say Wednesday more than 150 students were not picked up at all and the administrator says for many students the trip home can take as long as an hour and a half.
10TV took ACPA’s concerns to Columbus City Schools.
A spokesperson told 10TV, they are aware of the concerns – explaining the issues from stem from the school not submitting a school calendar. Without receiving an official school calendar, the district based the routes off of the school’s website.
As for allegations that students are missing entire periods of learning time, that spokesperson told 10TV she was unsure of the specifics.
Gatto says he wants to work with the district to ensure the issues are shored up so his students are able to receive the education they deserve.
“It’s not fair to then have to go and take a test after they’ve missed instruction because of something that’s out of their control.”