School board approves $2M projected contract renewal for outsourced buses amid parent notification concerns
Loading...
Summary
The Marion County School Board unanimously approved renewing a piggyback agreement to continue outsourcing 13 bus routes for alternative-learning students. District staff reported a 98% on-time rate but acknowledged parents lack access to the district's "Here Comes the Bus" app for those buses and discussed options to improve notifications.
The Marion County School Board on May 13 voted unanimously to renew a piggyback agreement with School District Services Incorporated (Polk County bid ITB49MJ-624) to continue transporting alternative-learning students, a contract district staff said could cost the district about $2 million if extended through next year.
Board members and staff said the vendor began service in December and now runs 13 routes for students assigned to Marion Technical Institute (MTI). "Internal monitoring indicates that as of April 23, there have only been two late arrivals in the morning and one late arrival in the afternoon across all 13 routes, which reflects a 98% on-time arrival rate," district presenter Mr. Frazier said.
The vote followed a presentation from district staff outlining payments to date and projected costs. "We've paid $519,685 for services rendered," Mr. Frazier told the board. He said the district expects to pay about $300,000 more before the end of the current school year, bringing the projected year-end total to $916,000. Summer-session costs were estimated between $385,600 and $482,000; a 15-week full-year projection beginning in August at current weekly rates would add roughly $723,000. Combined, those figures put the high-end projection near $2,000,000.
Board members pressed staff on parent communications for students on the contracted routes. Dr. Sarah James, School Board member for District 5, said parents have told her they cannot track these buses using the district's usual tracking app. "Parents of students who are alternatively placed to MTI and rely on transportation don't necessarily know when their child's bus is arriving," she said. "Is there a way to expand 'Here Comes the Bus,' or is that a limiting factor because they're not our buses?"
Mr. Frazier responded that the contracted provider's formal tracking systems were not fully integrated yet, but that MTI staff currently notify families individually when buses are late. "If they were notified of a delay, that would come from the school site," he said. Transportation staff later clarified that the district does not control those buses; communication responsibility lies with School District Services.
Board member concerns ranged from notification systems to route efficiency. Board member Doctor (Reverend) Eric Cummings urged faster county action where county-owned roads are involved, calling student safety "the utmost importance." Transportation staff said routes are reviewed by district staff (Mr. Ostanek), and the district will continue monitoring operational efficiency.
The motion to renew the piggyback agreement passed 5-0. Board members agreed staff should follow up with the vendor and the district transportation office to explore options to provide parents better real-time information while the vendor continues building its systems.
Board members also discussed possible interim measures — for example, asking the vendor to adopt the district's student-tracking app or having school staff provide quicker notification — and asked staff to report back on feasibility.
Ending: The board approved the renewal to maintain transportation services for alternative-learning students while directing staff to pursue better real-time communication with families and to continue monitoring route efficiency and cost projections.
