An incentive program launched this school year to increase daily attendance for Kyrene School District bus drivers is showing results, district officials said.
The Kyrene district governing board approved in July an attendance stipend for bus drivers aimed at encouraging consistent attendance throughout the school year. Eligible drivers can receive a $750 quarterly stipend if they are absent no more than one day during the quarter, for a total of up to $3,000 annually, according to a district release.
Since the stipend was introduced, the district, which has schools in Tempe, Phoenix, Chander and Guadalupe, has seen “a substantial improvement in driver attendance,” officials stated in the release. During the 2024–25 school year, the transportation department averaged more than eight driver absences per day. In the 2025–26 school year, average daily absences have decreased to 2.4 per day.
