Minooka 201 board approves intergovernmental agreement with District 111 to unify student transportation starting 2025-26

The Minooka Community Consolidated School District 201 Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to approve an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Minooka Community High School District 111 that will consolidate daily transportation operations for both districts beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

Superintendent Kinder said the move is intended to reduce route delays and improve reliability after a prolonged bus driver shortage and rising student enrollment stressed current operations. "Beginning next school year...Manooka Transportation would operate as one unified team to provide transportation services to all 201 and 111 students who are eligible for transportation," she said.

The nut of the plan places District 111 as the administrative district for transportation services; District 201 will remain closely involved in operational matters that affect its students, including training for drivers on PreK–8 route needs and retaining the district's authority over student discipline and review of bus video. Kinder and board members emphasized that student safety and continuity of service are priorities.

Board members also confirmed that all District 201 transportation staff were offered continuity of employment. "They have already been officially hired by Manooka 111 and approved at the board meeting in February," Superintendent Kinder said, adding that affected employees will become District 111 employees effective July 1 and will receive comparable positions, salary and benefits under the collective bargaining agreement.

The board also took two formal administrative steps tied to the IGA: it approved a resolution issuing honorable dismissals for full‑time educational support personnel in the District 201 transportation department and a separate resolution issuing non‑reemployment notices for part‑time educational support personnel. Those employee actions were described in the meeting as administrative steps required by law because District 201's transportation department will dissolve effective June 30, 2025; affected employees were noted as "in good standing" and supplied with letters of continued employment from District 111.

Board members and administrators said the districts have been collaborating for months on routing, scheduling and communications plans and that families will receive updated bus assignments and schedules before the new school year. Superintendent Kinder said daily school schedules will not change for 2025-26 but some pick‑up and drop‑off times are expected to adjust to achieve more efficient routing.

Board President Conquest and other members praised the planning and said the board had pressed administrators to protect staff rights and ensure clear lines of communication to families. "We do recognize that our students and our families deserve transportation services that meet the highest standards for reliability, consistency, quality, efficiency, and safety," Kinder said.

Administrators said they will share specific communication procedures before the new school year and that school administrators will continue to lead individual student discipline and safety follow‑up. The resolution votes and the IGA passed on roll calls; each vote in the meeting record showed all board members voting in favor.

Ending: District staff said planning will continue through spring and summer with training, routing changes and public communications scheduled ahead of the fall 2025 start. The board directed administrators to keep families informed and to work with bargaining representatives during the transition.