photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Lawrence school board members met on Monday, April 27, 2026.

Lawrence school board members approved a bus services contract on Monday with a new provider that will cost the district about $7 million in the upcoming school year.

The vote was unanimous – with board members Shannon Kimball and Carole Cadue-Blackwood absent – for the three-year agreement with school bus operator Durham School Services. The estimated cost for the 2026-2027 school year is $6.8 million, and the agreement calls for an annual increase of 4% in each of the following school years. Once the three years are up, the contract comes with two optional one-year renewals.

Currently, the district contracts with First Student for its bus services, but that contract expires at the end of the school year. The district provided no information on Monday about how much the current contract with First Student is for.

The new contract’s scope includes the management of 95 buses and operations for 82 school bus routes in order to transport 1,800 students on a daily basis. For staffing, there will be 90 bus drivers, 40 bus monitors and 11 full-time employees, according to the district staff’s presentation on Monday.

In addition to the new operator, the district will make some other changes to its transportation services. Cynde Frick, the district’s executive director of finance, said that without such changes, the district’s transportation services would be unsustainable.

“We had to take a huge step backwards and kind of reevaluate and think about where can we find efficiencies for 2026-2027,” Frick said.

As a part of these efforts, the district will start paying for the fuel for its buses instead of its contractor. The district will also start utilizing district property for a bus facility location as an effort to reduce lease costs.

“Instead of leasing an external facility, we are going to utilize the (Lawrence Public Schools Facilities and Operations) facility as the bus barn,” Frick said. “And we have a lot to figure out there, but we are going to do it to save us a couple hundred thousand dollars.”

Additionally, the contract is expected to increase bus route efficiency and optimization, provide air conditioning to all buses, improve communication systems and add safety features like real-time bus tracking for student ridership.

“We have GPSes on all buses, and this helps us multiple ways,” Ken Pittman, director of business development at Durham School Services, said. “One, it allows your parents to track where the bus is at and where, relative to their bus stop … It will (also) help us be more efficient to reduce fuel consumption.”

District staff also negotiated with Durham School Services to strengthen bus driver recruitment and retention. The agreement will increase bus driver wages by approximately $1.50 per hour and will include signing bonuses of up to $2,000 that will be paid in four installments – the initial payment will be 30 days after school starts and the remaining three payments will be throughout the school year. There will also be an employee benefits package.

Frick said there will be a comprehensive bus route study analysis that will be conducted this fall to determine whether the existing routes are as efficient as possible and whether any changes need to be made. She said the findings will help implement any changes before the next school year. Changes to the routes would be expected to come before the school board for consideration.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

From left to right, Cynde Frick, executive director of finance, and Deputy Superintendent Larry Englebrick are pictured on Monday, April 27, 2026.

IN OTHER BUSINESS, BOARD MEMBERS:

• Entered into a contract with Brightergy Solar for the installation of a 40-kilowatt solar system at Woodlawn Elementary School in the amount of $94,542, including a 10% contingency totaling $8,594. The agenda said the district will work with Brightergy Solar on any government incentives, tax credits and grants for this project to reduce the overall costs and return on investment.

• Approved the purchase of English and Language Arts instructional materials, Amplify CKLA (grades K-5) and Amplify ELA (grades 6-8) to help students build a foundation in fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills. The total cost is $1,162,698 to cover six-year teacher access.

• Approved the purchase of a professional learning curriculum for administrators and teachers, Amplify K-8, totaling $140,900, to support the implementation of Amplify CKLA and Amplify ELA.

• Held an executive session to discuss employee contract negotiations with no action following the session.