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Eastern York trustees weigh safety, cost of field trips after analysis shows 202 extra trips this year
Summary
Administration told the board an analysis of outside trips found 202 extra trips (1,700 miles, 12,000 hours) and estimated outsourcing costs at about $104,000 plus $20,000 in substitute pay. Trustees debated adding two chaperones for overnight/long trips, relying on volunteers, and switching from vans to buses; administrators will return with a detailed breakdown and draft policy language for April/May.
The Eastern York School Board discussed transportation costs and student-safety policy after administration presented a district analysis of extra out-of-district trips.
Administration reported the district recorded 202 extra trips this school year, totaling about 1,700 miles and 12,000 hours; outsourcing transportation and substitute costs totaled roughly $125,000 so far. "We had 202 total trips, which accounted for 1,700 miles, 12,000 hours," an administrator told the board.
Trustees raised safety concerns about single-adult supervision on some trips and asked whether adding a second adult per trip (or requiring two adults for overnight travel) should be standard. Board members and administration discussed options including: hiring paid chaperones (estimated substitute cost ~$20,000), recruiting volunteers (to lower cost), and shifting from district vans to rented buses or vans from professional carriers for long-distance or overnight travel.
Board members asked for a more detailed breakdown of which trips were athletic, band, choir, or field trips and how many were one-adult trips. Administration agreed to return with the requested trip-level data and draft policy language to address chaperone requirements, distances, vehicle types and safety protocols. The goal is to have a policy and data to consider for adoption for next school year, likely in April or May.
Ending: The board asked administration to coordinate the policy draft with the solicitor and to present a recommendation and timeline at an upcoming meeting so the board can weigh safety, liability and cost, and avoid ad-hoc decisions mid-year.
