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Spring ISD bus drivers urge raises, better communication and leadership during public comment
Summary
Three Spring ISD transportation employees told the board Feb. 11 that stagnant pay, heavier workloads, restricted leave and poor communication from transportation leadership have hurt morale and retention; the board said administration will follow up.
SPRING, Texas — Three Spring ISD transportation employees used the public-participation period at the Feb. 11 board meeting to press the district for higher pay, clearer communication and improved leadership in the transportation department.
Lakeisha Kennedy, who introduced herself as a school bus driver in Spring ISD’s transportation department, told trustees that drivers have faced “stagnant pay, growing workloads, and insufficient support,” and that “we are expected to maintain the same level of service with the same pay we've received for the last 3 years.” She said rising costs for gas, groceries and benefits—and limits on taking earned time off—have made work more stressful for drivers.
Tarja Rose, who also identified herself as a bus driver, urged leadership changes and said the transportation administration “under the leadership of Miss Christina Realhouse and the admin team has not consistently modeled the core values” the district promotes. Rose said staff have seen poor communication, a lack of accountability and insufficient transparency, which she said has contributed to low morale and turnover.
A third speaker, identified as Mister Trubinski, described a separate personnel grievance involving evaluation procedures and due-process timelines at his campus; he said he pursued a settlement after appealing through district grievance channels. The board requested he submit his materials in writing so staff could review them.
Both drivers told trustees that the transportation department has purchased new buses and carried out building projects while pay increases were not provided to drivers; Kennedy asked for the board to reconcile capital spending with employee compensation priorities.
President Durant said administration had recorded the speakers’ comments and that, because the district cannot respond to items not posted in advance under the 72-hour rule, staff would follow up outside the meeting. Trustees asked administration to capture the concerns in writing and respond through the district’s established follow-up channels.
