Board approves temporary bus-driver contract and multiple related-services providers to cover transportation and special-education needs

The Round Lake Area Board of Education approved a set of contracts to address immediate transportation coverage and to secure outside related services for students with specialized needs. Doctor Lamping said the district experienced driver vacancies, with 13 openings at the end of last school year and four additional losses over the summer, and requested authorization to contract Top Line Transportation for up to four temporary school bus drivers.

The contract with Top Line Transportation was approved after the board recorded that contractors will be required to complete CDL, background checks and training on the district's new tablet and MyRide K-12 scanning system. The motion to approve the independent contract for four temporary drivers was moved by Mister Jewett, seconded by Missus Klingler, and carried by roll call.

Separately, the board approved master contracts and individual independent-contractor agreements for related-services providers that supply school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, social workers and transition specialists. Providers approved by motion included Blaze Works, Insight Global, Milestones, Speech and Language Path LTD and Assured Healthcare Staffing. Board members noted that background checks and certificates of insurance are required for each contractor and that the vendors’ contracts had been standardized for consistent payment terms and oversight.

Administration said the contracted drivers are a temporary safeguard while recruitment continues and that contracted special-education providers are necessary to meet student needs and state requirements. The board acknowledged these measures are short-term responses while the district works to fill positions and review longer-term staffing and fiscal options.