[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6482885,"mediaKeyId","5590347-1be7e7338b6afb345ce99e315948aa10","parentId",5590347,"title","Committee approves three-year contract to vendor out part of special-education transportation","audioSeconds",1068,"startMs",4549000,"endMs",5617000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590347-1be7e7338b6afb345ce99e315948aa10&start=4549&end=5617","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590347-1be7e7338b6afb345ce99e315948aa10/thumbnail_4549000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6482885/Massachusetts/Committee-approves-three-year-contract-to-vendor-out-part-of-special-education-transportation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6482885-cf754aa12ab2b35c275e0c70604ab24f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770963604&Signature=GKMNAZJvWP7ZCtWDW-PSH3oDDfgaYXCipFidLR9xmZfQSGIaOtkvNgpiqTKYlHftSYC6CtbwtjD2No72Qn1cXXfDkRywva8LV5b4jHoP9IsSl5wcWdUWRoU0kS0qkl3CtIxhbxFNeFt5TGut8uHzSwtusw1foz69ifwBpaWC-5lZ0~z2zlNJ27FZ0ayJ5AMR0dlxSGghYzDSgdSxLpq7ALniGvhW4yNC2rDquPgNBoa3rYON5sNrHtr8Jpycll58WEv~vvTH0z8WXL93rdYZZMU0cqhOekH0eSv1BujLWiaeQt4N1Irmrz5pbCSDiYiMYc1Z7P58Bx3QA3ga5cmt1g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lakeville","date","2025-08-15T15:11:06Z","article","The Regional School Committee voted to contract eight out-of-district special-education transportation routes to Vanpool under a three-year agreement starting July 1, with a mutual option to renew for two additional years.

Administrators told the committee the move will replace older, high-mileage district vans with newer vendor-operated vehicles and is expected to reduce long-term costs and maintenance burdens. The proposal described contracting eight routes to Vanpool while retaining seven in-district special-education routes and drivers. Administrators said two routes will remain with the South Coast Collaborative and that the plan should improve vehicle age and mileage metrics.

The vendor’s per-day charge was presented in the discussion as an estimated $245 per day for contracted routes; administrators said actual cost will vary by route length and by the number of days a student attends (they used an average of about 200 days for estimating). The administration recommended the three-year contract after checking references and meeting with the vendor; they reported positive references from districts that have made similar transitions.

Committee members asked about contract-year increases and driver qualifications. Administrators said the contract ties future-year adjustments to the Boston-area CPI rather than a separate fuel escalator. They also said the vendor typically interviews existing drivers and attempts to retain drivers where feasible; pay structures and benefits differ by employer, and individual financial outcomes for drivers will vary. The administration said it will work with the vendor to minimize disruption and address seniority and assignment concerns.

A motion to approve the three-year contract with Vanpool, effective July 1, passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Freetown-Lakeville School Committee, 4/25/18 ARCHIVE","oneSentenceSummary","The Regional School Committee approved a three-year contract with Vanpool to operate eight out-of-district special-education routes, retain in-district routes, and modernize the special-education vehicle fleet; the contract includes a per-day rate and CPI-based increases.","taxTitle","Town of Lakeville, Plymouth County, Massachusetts","taxId",58187,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6482888,"Regional committee approves FY19 spending plan and drops special-ed stabilization article",58,2768000,2826000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590347-1be7e7338b6afb345ce99e315948aa10&start=2768&end=2826","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590347-1be7e7338b6afb345ce99e315948aa10/thumbnail_2768000.jpg","/articles/6482888/Massachusetts/Regional-committee-approves-FY19-spending-plan-and-drops-special-ed-stabilization-article","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6482888-c61e39b6c58a3b2c8e8ae3fc44a2a5f1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770963604&Signature=ggdU~K2ncZwuJFAZry~q9aJcSlmzNFU4CafDUco9dobxWBfjPv9znUy-sSsjLWXy2-asVTqafsUzdYooaN5eJi4JjTeaFS5EnmVVyCCBuUDRpLMbQiVlcizUjI1JHFiDzhvErl2bU5FMRBpInxVT7kfPiKj9T6VYqlvozUVeiImnRfyfzI4g4TQ5p1ZngFcD~9YtxBHA4QIdTrTHd3yNh3uHLIhbC-Blh950UuL7onxLcMzfLb86YKSs16zA49arlOg-O7Wnh6vwz5Q0QqugvzBKr8h-3vX1~-39302bzyxNwB8v42FHqc8Gn6n~hXTeIXxvPPiKqWcBhaBOQ3huJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Regional School Committee approved a total FY2019 spending plan of $38,273,474 and directed administrators to publish updated budget numbers online. Committee members and the regional finance committee (FinCom) had reviewed and adjusted assessment calculations before the vote.

Steve (regional FinCom) reported a unanimous FinCom recommendation to approve the revised assessment sheet. A motion to approve the $38,273,474 total spending figure was made and seconded; the motion carried after a voice vote with one member abstaining.

Separately, the committee voted to withdraw the previously proposed Special Education Stabilization Fund article from the warrant. The motion to remove the stabilization-fund article passed after discussion; several members said the FY19 budget they approved begins to address the committee’s E&D (excess and deficiency) concerns but that special-education funding remains an ongoing issue to examine.

Administrators and committee members agreed to follow up on multiple budget questions submitted by members and to provide responses from central office staff and school principals. The committee asked administration to publish the updated budget format, including spending and the assessment sheet, on the district website and to provide clear breakdowns of grant-funded lines (IDEA, Title I, Title II, Title IV and other federal grants) that are not included in the base appropriations figure.

Committee members were reminded that the approved school budget represents a 2.2% increase from the prior year and that, aside from the budget article itself, only a maintenance-vehicle article will appear separately on the warrant at this time.","The Regional School Committee approved a $38,273,474 FY2019 spending plan, accepted a 2.2% budget increase, and voted to remove a previously proposed special-education stabilization article from the warrant.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6482892,"Regional school committee approves higher athletic user fees for 2018–19",2241,397000,2638000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590347-1be7e7338b6afb345ce99e315948aa10&start=397&end=2638","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590347-1be7e7338b6afb345ce99e315948aa10/thumbnail_397000.jpg","/articles/6482892/Massachusetts/Regional-school-committee-approves-higher-athletic-user-fees-for-201819","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6482892-c563be41817b6e2b179315e852608895/orig.mp4?Expires=1770963604&Signature=oB0zP70FNN3448FKmYO4MrSiNxMCeQbeFUorZmWxLdDyofDh0v~6TikSxazXbQDUAuak1XSf4YwAHv-RgbtPV3MwzrxHdt~qFI5a25lsF8QpYtxA22yH5ZrTMN2JaYF7ECCwnksx-QlExJZ2kdgFAGGiaN9ZwM4fKbKJDfkCD5uIOHzSdIri-rGfhn~YN3zuYsIdMM3C2FBfYphS8pGhED3Wl9yZIPRz7Fs7FhmgBCRYV-jOPnsZH3KUcc50iNoQHPiDHWofWCO2nxVvTQyTg15eQAMFUki2ZQG4cgiz1ltBqTBnlRfhz51XoH7hYv9CLi16HX3WBYmU9qvr3QB89A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Regional School Committee voted to adopt a revised athletic user-fee structure for the 2018–19 school year after an extended discussion about program costs, waivers and family impact.

The proposed schedule, presented by Jim Buscio, the district’s athletic director, was described in the meeting packet and stated in the session as “The proposed is $3.25, $201.50, with a maximum for a family cap of $1,100,” and earlier discussed as increases from the existing fee levels. Committee members asked for clarification about which participants the figures represented, waiver counts, and how often families reach the proposed family cap.

Committee members and staff said the fee proposal responds to recurring operating deficits in the athletics fund that the district has absorbed in recent years. Fred (staff member) and others described persistent shortfalls—about $37,000 in FY16 and more than $50,000 in FY17—and noted spikes in one-time costs such as replacement of football uniforms and transportation that can push the budget further into the red.

Members debated alternatives, including raising gate receipts and redesigning how the athletics budget is presented (for example, budgeting the full athletics cost and counting fees and gate receipts as offsets). Several members said they would prefer not to increase fees. Some speakers highlighted the disproportionate burden on families with multiple athletes and on lower-income households: one parent reported paying about $2,000 the prior year for two student-athletes.

Supporters of the fee increase said the user-fee system has preserved levels of participation and program quality that otherwise would have been cut, pointing to private donations and booster fundraising that supplement the athletics budget. Committee members and administrators also discussed program-specific costs—most prominently ice hockey, where practice ice and tournament ice time were described as especially expensive—and the district’s past reliance on booster fundraising for equipment and facility needs.

After discussion, a member moved “to adopt the user fee as presented.” The motion was seconded. The chair called for a voice vote, and the motion passed with one abstention and a majority in favor (the committee recorded the result as a 4–3–1 vote in support). Several members said they remained uncomfortable with the increase and asked administration to return with a restructuring proposal that would present total athletics costs with fees and other revenue shown as offsets.

The committee directed administration to continue exploring alternative budget structures and to provide additional detail about waivers, family caps, program-level revenue and gate receipts in future budget discussions.","The regional school committee voted to adopt a revised athletic user-fee structure for the 2018–19 school year after extended debate over costs, waivers and impacts on families; the measure passed with abstentions and vocal opposition.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves three-year contract to vendor out part of special-education transportation

Regional committee approves FY19 spending plan and drops special-ed stabilization article

Regional school committee approves higher athletic user fees for 2018–19