The Coffee County Salary and Compensation Committee on an administrative meeting discussed a proposal to create six bus‑attendant positions for special‑needs school bus routes and recommended a compensation structure to present to the full board at its Monday meeting.

Committee members said the positions are intended to free licensed bus drivers to drive routes and to formalize adults who currently ride special‑needs buses to assist students. "We're trying to be good stewards of our money," said Mr. Hanser, a member of the Salary and Compensation Committee, summarizing the committee's approach to balancing pay and benefits. Hanser added the change would let "bus drivers driving our buses," which committee members said is a priority.

The committee's recommendation, as the group described it, would create six attendant positions. Two positions are expected to work enough hours to qualify for benefits and would be paid at the educational‑assistant rate the district uses for similar roles; the committee cited $13.84 an hour as the educational‑assistant rate for someone with zero years of experience. The four remaining positions would not meet the hours threshold for benefits and would be paid the educational‑assistant rate plus $1 per hour (the committee described that rate as $14.84). The committee said those four roles were being priced higher hourly to reflect the difficulty of the work even though they would not receive benefits.

Committee members described why the roles are being titled "attendants": labeling the positions "attendant" rather than "aide" avoids requiring the paraprofessional (ParaPro) test or two years of college that district policy or certification rules apply to classroom special‑education aides; these attendants would be assigned to transportation and to riding buses rather than to classroom duties.

Members said the two benefit‑eligible positions are projected to reach the district's benefit threshold because they will work roughly six hours a day on routes that exceed that length; the committee tied the six‑hour daily assignments to a 30‑hour weekly threshold for benefits. The committee also said attendants who are not on a bus during the school day could be assigned to the transportation garage to assist with bus shop work or with field trips that include special‑needs students.

Funding for the positions was not settled. Committee members discussed whether costs would come from the transportation budget, special‑education funds or from current overtime lines; one committee member said the district now pays overtime to staff who cover those duties and that the superintendent's office indicated a budget amendment would be required to move funds from overtime to the new positions. "I think the big thing that Mr. Short pointed out is we need our bus drivers to drive buses," Mr. Hanser said, framing the committee's view that reassigning licensed drivers currently used as attendants would be a net efficiency.

There was no formal vote during the meeting. Committee members said the compensation recommendation—two positions with benefits at educational‑assistant pay and four positions at educational‑assistant pay plus $1 per hour without benefits—will be presented at the Monday board meeting for formal approval and any necessary budget amendments.

The committee also discussed recruitment uncertainty and that the split between benefit‑eligible and non‑benefit positions could change depending on route lengths and applicant interest. Committee members said current staffing sometimes relies on licensed bus drivers or on overtime from classroom staff who assist on buses, and the proposed positions are intended to reduce overtime costs and free licensed drivers for driving duties.

If the board approves the positions, the committee said the openings will be posted internally and externally and any internal employees may apply for transfer. Committee members did not record a final dollar amount for annual cost or a definitive budget line in the meeting; they said that detail will be clarified with the superintendent's budget staff and in the budget amendment to be presented to the board.

Looking ahead, the committee expects to bring the compensation structure and related budget amendment to the Coffee County school board during its next regular meeting for consideration.