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Seg. 1: Filling Teacher Vacancies | Seg. 2: School Bus Drivers

Segment 1: School across Kansas and Missouri struggle each year to fill teaching positions.

Having enough teachers to fill classrooms is a perennial problem for schools in all parts of the Kansas City metro. Raytown Schools has created a novel way to address the shortage in their district, but several factors, including pay, are working against Missouri and Kansas districts' efforts to attract and retain qualified talent.

Segment 2, beginning at 24:38: Stories from behind the school bus steering wheel.

They play a critical role in getting kids to school (and back home) every day, but their influence and impact on the day-to-day lives of school children is often overlooked. Two experienced drivers described their favorite parts of the job, and how they approach some of the challenges it can bring.

  • Brooke Winfield, Student Transportation of America bus driver for Kansas City Public Schools
  • Tom Ott, Student Transportation of America terminal manager and bus driver for Center School District
As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.