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Bus attendants urge board to recognize complex duties and address pay disparity
Summary
Two audience speakers described bus attendants’ medical and behavioral responsibilities, asked for recognition and argued the board should reconsider a raise structure the speakers said gives substitutes a larger increase than long‑term staff.
Two speakers in the audience comments section told the board on May 13 that bus attendants perform complex medical and behavioral work on district buses and asked for increased compensation and recognition.
A speaker identified as Catherine summarized daily duties for attendants who transport students with complex medical and developmental needs, including monitoring for seizures, administering allergy pens, assisting students in wheelchairs and managing overstimulation in a confined space. “We are the first faces that these kids see and we're the last when they go home,” she said, and asked the board to appreciate attendants’ longevity and dedication.
A second, unnamed bus attendant spoke emotionally about pay decisions the group found demoralizing, saying long‑term staff received a $0.91 raise while substitute workers received a $4 raise. “We are not asking for the moon. We are asking for fairness,” the speaker said. The commenter described the discrepancy as a message that long‑term commitment is not being appropriately recognized and urged leadership to “reconsider this decision.”
Both speakers described attendants’ responsibilities for students with developmental and emotional disabilities and said those responsibilities demand training and compensation that reflect the complexity of the role. Catherine noted attendants often act as a triage team on buses, balancing attention between students who are overstimulated and those with urgent medical or behavioral needs.
The board did not record an immediate response or a motion tied to the comments in the meeting record; the public‑comment segment ended and the meeting moved on to committee reports.
