SLPS reports rising membership and smoother bus service after FOCUS and Zoom rollouts

Saint Louis Public Schools told the school board Wednesday that enrollment and transportation operations have stabilized in the first weeks of the 2025'26 school year after the district launched a new student information system (FOCUS) and a new transportation platform operated by Zoom. Officials said membership rose from 15,269 after the first week to about 17,070 as of the night of the board meeting, and that bus service covered 220 routes on day one with no driver shortages.

Why it matters: Reliable transportation and accurate enrollment counts are foundational for in-school services, funding and family communications. SLPS leaders said the combined rollout of FOCUS and Zoom improves family access to data (attendance, progress reports, permission forms) and gives transportation real-time visibility that helps reduce delays and customer-service issues.

What officials said: The district's pupil-accounting and transportation staff explained key terms and shared early numbers. Enrollment is official only after a student physically attends at least one school day (the DESE "membership" rule).…