Board approves renewal for out‑of‑county special education transportation

The San Rafael City Schools Board approved May 19 a contract renewal to continue specialized transportation services that carry students to programs outside Marin County, a service staff said is required to provide individualized education program (IEP) placements and related services.

District staff described the provider as a long‑standing partner and told trustees the contract covers students placed in specialized programs outside the county that are not served by regular Marin transit routes. "We've been in partnership with this company for about six years," a district staff member said, explaining that the vendor offers routing, in‑vehicle supports and a parent app to track rides.

Staff told the board the cost of specialized transportation is a substantial item in the special education budget; combined elementary and high‑school district spending on special education transportation this year was roughly $430,000 to date, according to staff comments. The district also noted that state and federal special education funding does not fully cover all transport and program costs — staff said the district's general fund currently subsidizes a portion of special education expenses.

Trustees discussed contractor reliability, regional availability of providers, and whether multiple districts can share routes to reduce costs. Staff said there are relatively few providers in the area and that districts sometimes coordinate shared routes to manage expenses.

Trustee Daniela Marsh moved to approve the contract renewal; Trustee Lau seconded the motion. The board voted in favor.