Oakdale seeks up to $814,000 in state reimbursements for home-to-school transportation; new bus app reduced parent calls

The board received a Home-to-School transportation update from Cat Songer, who said the district expects up to $814,000 in state reimbursement for qualifying expenditures (the state may reimburse up to 60% of qualifying costs based on last year's figures).

Songer explained eligibility criteria (identifying TK–6 students who live beyond specified walk distances and who meet unduplicated pupil criteria such as free/reduced lunch, foster youth, English learners, homeless or disability status) and said roughly 1,256 students fell into one or more qualifying categories last year. The district provided eight general-education routes and six special-education routes and reported a total fleet of 22 diesel buses, 17 of which now have lap-shoulder seat belts.

District staff reported rollout of a bus-tracking and notification app that has reduced routine parent phone calls and improved on-time visibility for families. Songer encouraged parents to register for the app, noted route changes can be pushed to registered and unregistered parents and recommended routine reminders at the start of the school year.

Why it matters: Reimbursement funds and efficient routing affect district operating costs and student access to transportation. The app and fleet upgrades are intended to reduce safety and logistical issues for families and staff.

Next steps: The district plans to continue the current route structure and to use reimbursed funds to offset bus purchases and transportation costs; staff encouraged board and parents to promote app signups to improve communication.