M-DCPS buses hit the road early Thursday morning to transport about 50,000 students to some 500 schools. The all-electric bus fleet was at 85, as part of a 2030 goal to use 100% clean energy.

“We had some buses be 5 to 10 minutes late, but our dispatch is watching out for that and making sure that parents are being informed,” said Jose L. Dotres, the M-DCPS superintendent.

Dotres rode a school bus with students. Westland Hialeah Senior High School, where middle school students were attending for the first time, was among the schools he visited.

“This year, based on the law, there will be no usage of cell phones at the elementary schools and in the middle schools,” Dotres said.

The district has telehealth services that include mental health attention, and there are 35 job openings for teachers, according to Dotres.