Nantucket schools report bus driver shortage, ebike rules and a modest enrollment decline

The superintendent told the School Committee Sept. 2 the district is operating with four bus drivers after one driver left the Cape Cod Collaborative and that the district will use an early/late split run and a colored bus-tag system for riders. "We have 4 bus drivers," the superintendent said, noting the collaborative lost a driver who moved off-island. The district will finalize bus enrollment and issue colored tags that students must show to board assigned routes. Administrators also reported a sharp increase in electric bicycles and a new class of motorized "electric dirt bikes" that lack pedals and can reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. The superintendent said those vehicles "are in the same class as mopeds and motorcycles" and must be registered and driven by licensed operators; pedal-assist ebikes remain governed by school registration and a required safety course. School leaders said ebikes cannot be ridden on campus but may be walked on campus and must be registered at each school's front office. They are working with the Nantucket Police Department to determine parking and storage locations that keep motorized vehicles away from pedestrian areas. On enrollment, the superintendent reported a starting enrollment of 1,670 students for the 2025–26 year, 54 fewer than the district's final count in June 2025. The kindergarten class this year was 91 students; the superintendent said enrollment will be monitored and that October counts will be used for state reporting. Committee members asked about parking for motorized vehicles, bus-run logistics and whether the enrollment dip would affect staffing. The superintendent said staffing and budget planning will account for enrollment fluctuations during budget season.