Hardee County School Board approves Where’s the Bus rollout, Arrow Group contract and multiple district resolutions

Hardee County School Board members voted unanimously Oct. 23 to approve a suite of contracts, agreements and district assessments that administrators said will improve bus routing, student safety reporting and district operations.

Board members approved a five‑year hardware, software and support agreement with Where’s the Bus, authorized an interagency agreement with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Suncoast Inc., approved a professional services contract with Arrow Group, adopted final budget amendments for 2024–25 and passed district security and best‑practices assessments.

Administrators said the Where’s the Bus system will add GPS tracking, seat‑level routing and new reporting that could help with full‑time‑equivalent (FTE) counts and Medicaid reporting. “Once we say yes, they will be ready to go and we expect installation by Nov. 4,” said Miss Bennett, an administrative staff member overseeing the rollout. Bennett told the board the district plans to phase implementation beginning with the high school and to aim for routine operation and parent notification by February.

Why it matters: the routing and reporting tools described by administrators affect daily safety procedures for drivers and students, and produce data the district uses for funding and program reporting. Board members also flagged near‑term…