Blanchester board approves federal program participation, reading plan and listing of surplus buses

The Blanchester Board of Education on Nov. 18 approved the district’s participation in the 2024–2025 Consolidated Continuous Improvement Plan (CCIP), including Title I, Title II-A, Title IV-A, IDEA-B and IDEA Early Childhood funding, and adopted the district’s Reading Improvement Plan for the coming school year.

Trustee Mike Williams moved to accept the Business of the Board items; Trustee Chris Baker seconded, and the motion was accepted as presented. The agenda packet listed the CCIP participation and the reading plan as part of the same set of business items voted on under a single motion.

The board also authorized the sale of surplus equipment, including three retired school buses (2007 International 72-passenger, 2009 International 77-passenger and 2003 Thomas Freightliner 84-passenger) and weight equipment from the high school. The items were authorized for listing on GovDeals; the packet notes that if reserve prices are not met they may be sold for scrap, with a recorded junk-price benchmark of $120.00 per ton (as of Oct. 30, 2024).

The board packet included no public discussion or recorded dissent on these agenda items. According to the meeting record, these items were approved under a single motion with the trustees present voting to accept the Business of the Board as presented.

What happens next: Surplus items will be posted on GovDeals and the district will proceed under the stated reserve/junk-price guidance; federal-program participation sets the framework for related grants and allocations during the 2024–25 school year.