The Piper Board of Education approved a one-year renewal of an alternate transportation contract with Assisted Student Transportation for the 2025-26 school year at an annual rate of $71,208, voting 5-0 on the motion July 14. Kim, the district staff member who presented the item, said the contract supports transportation obligations under the federal McKinney-Vento Act to maintain educational stability for students experiencing homelessness and to provide services when students temporarily live outside the district.

Staff explained the district's needs changed after the high school move and the district negotiated with Assisted Student Transportation and a second local provider (DS Bus Lines) to determine a more efficient plan. The new one-year contract locks in a $71,208 rate for 2025-26, a reduction of $52,000 from the prior annualized cost the district had been paying, according to Kim. She said the one-year term provides flexibility because the McKinney-Vento population is transient and the district did not want to lock into a multi-year commitment. Kim also said the contract automatically renews unless the district gives 90 days notice.

Kim noted the district does not bear the entire cost in all cases: when transporting students from other districts in the metro area there is typically a 50/50 cost-share so the $71,208 figure is not always the district's net expense. Board members asked why the term changed from three years to one year and staff said the shorter term preserves flexibility and caretakes the district's changing transportation needs. The board passed the motion to approve the contract renewal with no recorded dissents.

This action is a formal contract renewal; staff indicated future adjustments or additions to routes could be made in-year with the vendor if needed under the one-year agreement.