The Marion County School Board will discuss the possibility of entering a $1.74 million contract for supplemental school bus transportation services for students who have been assigned to alternative learning programs at Marion Technical Institute due to behavioral issues.
The contract will come before the school board during its regular meeting on Tuesday, October 22.
According to the agenda, district staff is requesting permission to utilize a Polk County Schools bid for School Bus Transportation with Tallahassee-based School District Services, Inc.
If the board approves the request, the contract would be in effect from October 23, 2024, to July 30, 2025.
According to the district, the estimated expenditure is approximately $1,737,900.
“By approving the piggyback bid, there will be sufficient drivers and buses to cover all the routes for students in Marion County Public Schools,” reads the agenda.
The contract specifies that the school buses to be used for the services would have to be “no older than 5 years,” and would have to have a “minimum seated capacity of 65-students.” All of the vehicles also have to be equipped with “functional air conditioning systems.”
The service would be used for students who have been assigned to Marion Technical Institute for alternative learning education.
On Thursday, Ocala-News.com reported that at least 47 students had been expelled during the first 31 days of school, with at least 60 requiring alternative learning placements.
The contract comes just a few weeks after the school board approved the purchase of twelve new 77-passenger school buses, including four that will come equipped with lifts for disabled students.
The school board unanimously approved the purchase during its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 24.
In total, the county is using approximately $1,915,904 from its capital projects fund to purchase the 12 vehicles.
According to district records, the eight regular school buses will be purchased for $1,286,080 (i.e., $160,760 per vehicle), while the school buses with lifts will cost around $157,456 each, or $629,824 for all four.
The school district currently underfunds its need for transportation in attempt to stretch dollars that it puts towards capital projects.
Currently, approximately 22,000 students are transported nearly 32,000 miles each school day in Marion County.
The Marion County School Board regularly meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at 1614 E Fort King Street.
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