Local & Community
CSU Expands Automatic Admissions for High Schoolers; PSUSD Upgrades Student Transportation with AI-Powered System
Exciting changes are underway for students and families in the Coachella Valley this fall.
More CSU Acceptances for High Schoolers
The California State University system is expanding access to higher education with a major shift: high school students are now being automatically accepted into one of the 10 CSU campuses, as long as they maintain their grades. In Riverside County alone, a pilot program shows nearly 800 more students gaining admission compared to previous years.
This initiative is part of a broader push to remove barriers to college, giving students more opportunities and support as they look toward the future.
PSUSD Rolls Out Smarter Student Transportation
Meanwhile, in the Palm Springs Unified School District, students can expect a smoother ride to school—literally. The district has signed a five-year contract with Zoom Services, a transportation company that blends safety, reliability, and tech-savvy features.
Zoom Services, which currently works with over 4,000 schools nationwide, will bring AI-driven routing software to optimize bus routes and increase ridership. Through the Ride Zoom app, parents will receive real-time updates on pickup and drop-off times, and can even track the bus route as their child travels to school.
“When students get on the bus, either the driver selects that the student boarded, or in some cases we use RFID tags in badges,” a Zoom representative explained. “Once scanned, parents can follow the ride live.”
One of the biggest selling points for the district was Zoom’s zero driver shortage model, which helps ensure on-time arrivals, fewer instructional minutes lost, and more consistent transportation for field trips and extracurriculars.
Currently, PSUSD operates 73 home-to-school routes and is looking to onboard 80 certified school bus drivers for the upcoming school year. With more tech and more drivers, the district aims to expand services and accommodate more students across its 28 schools.
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
By: NBC Palm Springs
March 30, 2025
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