Finance committee approves renewal of student accident policy; staff recommends adding felonious-assault coverage

The Finance and Audit Committee voted July 8 to renew the school system's student accident insurance with Powell and Associates at a renewal rate of $79,956 and moved the item forward after staff recommended adding felonious-assault coverage.

Committee members and staff said the policy covers students participating in athletics, extracurricular activities, field trips and on-campus practices. Finance staff said the district also offers an optional parent-paid enhancement that expands coverage for on-campus injuries when families pay a $28 annual premium.

The recommendation to add felonious-assault coverage prompted questions from committee members about the legal definition and the difference between "assault" and "battery." "This policy is the student accident policy that covers athletes and any extracurricular activities, field trips, any of that kind of stuff," said Mr. McNeely, the staff presenter. He added that staff were recommending the additional felonious-assault coverage so the insurance would respond if a felony is committed against a student during a covered activity. Mr. McNeely said the committee would receive further clarification from Austin Powell, the insurer's representative, at a later meeting.

Austin Powell, representing Powell and Associates, answered technical questions about benefits and enrollment but deferred a precise legal definition of "felonious assault" to the insurer's other representative, who will attend the next meeting. "I can have that answer for you," Powell said when asked about the specific wording and scope of assault versus battery.

Board members and staff also discussed the optional $28 parent-paid voluntary coverage, which a staff speaker said had low enrollment. Committee members raised two budget and operational points: whether the district could charge the coverage as part of routine student fees instead of relying on voluntary enrollment, and how to identify midyear transfers and late enrollees. Mr. McNeely said roughly 30% to 40% of families currently pay the voluntary fee and that the district makes up any shortfall when the student-fee collection does not cover the policy cost. He said $5 of the standard student fee is applied toward the insurance pool and any remaining balance is covered by the district.

Committee members asked staff to produce a clear one-page "cheat sheet" and the parent letter and brochure included in the packet so schools and families know how to sign up, how to pay through the district's cashless portal, and what the coverage limits are. A committee member also asked about a 24-hour K-12 coverage option available to families for $124 per year.

Formal action: Motion to renew the student accident policy with Powell and Associates was made and seconded; the committee voted to carry the motion. The motion document recommended the addition of felonious-assault coverage and directed staff to obtain definitive policy language and to provide outreach materials for parents.

The committee did not adopt an immediate change to district fee structure; members asked staff to return with clarification about assault/battery definitions, anticipated cost if the additional coverage is adopted, and outreach plans to increase voluntary enrollment.

In closing remarks, committee members emphasized outreach: several members called the $28 voluntary coverage a strong value and asked staff to clarify enrollment windows and whether newly transferred students could enroll midyear.