Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) has acquired 15 new electric school busses using $7.2 million in grant funding while also considering the displacement of teacher positions to cut costs.
A GRPS representative told The Grand Rapids Herald the buses cost about $380,000 each, over double the cost of their diesel-powered counterparts. The electric buses also require costly charging infrastructure, which GRPS says has already been installed and prepared for use.
The buses will replace several diesel models being used currently by GRPS, which administrators claimed is a step toward cleaner air in Grand Rapids. Seven electric buses are currently in use, with eight more to come shortly.
Several grants funded the major purchase, including a $5.2 million gift from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and another $1.5 million from the State of Michigan. Present at an unveiling ceremony for the buses was Rep. Hillary Scholten, who took credit for helping secure federal funding for the vehicles.
“I joined Grand Rapids Public Schools as they launched the first electric school buses in district history,” she wrote via social media. “I was proud to help secure $5.2 million through the EPA Clean School Bus Program to make this possible. Let’s get kids to school safely and with clean air to breathe!”
The big purchase comes in the wake of an April 14 letter to families in which GRPS announced it was operating in a “non sustainable” budget deficit of $17.7 million.
“Our district continues to take deliberate steps toward long-term financial stability,” the letter from Superintendent Leadriane Roby reads. “Due to declining enrollment over the past decade and rising costs related to inflation, wages, and insurance, we continue to operate in a deficit.”
The letter acknowledged some staff positions may need to be cut in order to balance the budget, though the district hopes to minimize the number of current employees cut.
“As we adjust staffing levels, our priority is to eliminate open vacancies rather than lay off current employees whenever possible,” it reads. “This will require some teachers to transition to different school buildings to align with enrollment.”
Write to jackson@grherald.com.