School committee adds language for school transportation drivers and pauses private‑vehicle policy changes

The Beverly Public Schools School Committee voted Aug. 27 to amend a transportation policy to specify that indoor waiting areas are available to school transportation drivers, and to leave other proposed changes for further review. The committee approved a friendly amendment to add the phrase "school transportation drivers" to a provision about drivers who arrive early and need to wait indoors; the motion passed 6–0. Committee members also discussed proposed language from the finance and facilities subcommittee that would require Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) checks for non‑school employee drivers used for school activities. Members expressed concern about several scenarios — including one‑to‑one private transport for special education placements and emergency carpooling when buses are unavailable — and asked the superintendent to consult legal counsel and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) before any vote. Business and safety concerns raised in the discussion included potential financial costs of requiring two adults for certain transports, fingerprinting or other background checks beyond CORI, vehicle inspection documentation, and ensuring contracted vendors meet screening expectations. Superintendent Peter Cushing and administrators noted that in contracted transportation for special education and homeless‑student placements, single‑student transports can occur and therefore strict personnel screening is essential; they cautioned that requiring additional monitors for one‑to‑one trips could have significant fiscal consequences. Several committee members suggested adding aspirational language to policy stating that adults should not be alone with a child in a private vehicle, while acknowledging operational and liability limits and asking legal counsel for guidance. The committee held EEAG (transportation) for another meeting and asked staff to follow up with MASC and school legal counsel; the EEAJ amendment to specify "school transportation drivers" for the indoor waiting area language carried 6–0. No changes to the transportation policy were finalized beyond the amendment; committee members requested staff draft any additional language after counsel and MASC input.