001him and this is our salary and compensation committee meeting. Uh we have Mr. Hansert, Miss Jones. Uh myself, Mr. Hardgrove, and Melissa um is going to be taking notes. And we have Miss Beth, I didn't forget her is present. Miss West Morland will be taking notes. And we have a short meeting uh planned for today, but our topic we're going to discuss is the bus attendant, the compensation for a potential bus attendant on our special needs buses as we transport students. The uh as you know, the position has not been approved by our board, but we do need to tackle um the compensation portion of that. Uh the purpose of the position currently we have bus drivers that are um being paid to assist our bus drivers driving the bus on our some of our
002special needs bus. And um we're trying to be good stewards of our money and create six positions as we stand today um to serve those those needs on those buses as we currently stand and and we need to remember trying to be flexible because we may have to adapt to the number of kids and the number of buses. Um but our purpose today is to talk about their compensation for those six potential uh bus aids. Um our recommendation is right now we have we have six positions. Two of those positions would work more than the hours um that would require we would be required to offer benefits to two of the positions. So they would make what a teacher assistant or an educational assistant would make uh but they would receive benefits. The other four
003positions as we currently stand would not receive benefits because they would not reach the threshold of the hours required and we would pay them educational assistance pay per hour plus a dollar on the hour. So, we're trying to balance the those two. Are there any questions? Um, obviously, we'll talk about the the position on during Monday's board meeting. So, are there any questions? >> What are we currently paying our uh sped assistants? >> Uh, I don't have we have a Miss Yinch with $13.84 an hour is with with zero years of experience and uh every year you're looking probably at a year of experience you're looking at a 20 cent increase. So depending on where they fall, uh if we hired six people with no experience that they're they're going to make $13, the ones
004with the with the benefits would make $13.84 an hour with benefits and the other ones would make $14.84 with no benefits. >> Okay. So So close to 15 for those. Now, are we paying our bed assistance? I thought we were paying them a dollar more than our regular assistants. >> It depends on their position. Um, it it depends on what position they're in. Um, >> okay. That's a tough job. >> It is a tough job. >> It's a very tough job. It is a tough job and um requires a a special personality and a special person that that connects well with others. Yes, ma'am. >> Charter, were we paying why are we not paying the the people that's just working four hours an hour, four four hours a day the same as what we're paying
005the other people? um we're the others will receive benefits. The ones that cross that threshold, they'll they'll work a a longer day and they'll cross that 30-hour threshold and receive the benefits. Um the ones that don't work cross that threshold of the the hours required, we would add a dollar to their pay because it is a difficult job as Mintz referred to. So the funding from special aid budget >> uh >> go ahead Mr. Shard. >> Remember that this is a position that right now it's being held by bus drivers >> drivers or are employees with bus license the chauffeur's license. So, if you look at that same sheet that I just handed you, uh, Mr. Hargrove, uh, if you'll look at it in a firstear bus driver with license, what what is the amount
006on it? >> 8760 for four hours. And if you look on what I actually divided it out by four, what did that equal up to be per hour? >> And I wrote it in. But my question was where's the funding coming from? >> I got you. So the difference is in that amount. Now the funding I'm not sure if it's coming out of the transportation or if it is actually coming out of um special ed. And the reason why I say that is because right now we're paying we're basically going to be swapping out taking the ones that have license because right now everybody knows if you've watched the news any we struggle to get bus drivers >> and if we can find instead of putting them on watching kids as a aid we can
007put them behind a wheel we're a whole lot better and it's going to help us out. So, I'm not positive, but I think that it's coming out of the transportation and it would be taken care of out of the transportation because it's from a transportation budget. But I would need to double check. And of course, Miss Melson's not here. I'm sorry I couldn't give you more exact information. My question is the need is special ed. Is that correct? Why we're doing it? It's because it's to to assist special ed students. >> Yes. >> Okay. And that's why I was just >> I understand >> wonder about where the funding was which budget it's coming out of because it seems to me it would come out of special ed. >> And that would be a question
008probably for either Mr. West Morland or Miss Nelson and and I'm I don't know >> a meeting >> send him a message but I haven't received a message >> but I think it would be out of the transportation but don't hold me to that okay because we're already paying the others and we'd be swapping it out. >> I think the big thing that Mr. Shorts pointed out is we need our bus drivers to drive buses and >> and we're we're saving some money on the >> other end with hiring these educational assistants to assist on the bus. >> I mean, it just makes sense. We need those bus drivers >> right now. And the way it was set up, and this is this way for years, and I don't know who set it up, but
009they put I guess they had enough drivers, they put two with driver's license on the sped buses in case there was ever a situation that that person couldn't drive, they they just jumped in the spot. But this is this is not only I mean, it's saving money, but also it's putting drivers freeing them up. but we didn't have a position to be able to to to fill them with an attendant. And the reason why it's being called attendant, I don't know if you want to share that or not, Mr. Harrove, or if you want me to, uh, the attendant is because by doing that, we don't they don't have to have the parapro test, which makes it a little easier on us as well. And by them not having the license, we don't have to
010pay them quite as much as well. Okay. Now, two of them will only work two of them will work full-time. So, how will they be utilized in the rest of that day? >> We we move children throughout the day and they they'll be used in that capacity. Okay. Also, >> okay, with with when you say full-time, they they're once you reach the sixh hour mark, you've reached enough hours to be able to get the benefits. That doesn't mean you work past that. >> Okay? >> Because it could be some people thinks of a full-time. We have part-time workers that that actually work over the six hours. They're going to get their full benefits, but they don't work more hours. Does that make sense? >> Okay. So, >> so it's just the time we need them.
011>> Okay. >> And outside of day trips, they would work in the shop and and assist. >> Okay. >> With our buses. um in in the transportation garage. So, okay. I mean, we're utilizing them, but it's just past that threshold. >> So, they will be paid for the six hours. They just they won't if they work seven hours, they'll work they get paid seven hours, but it it's based on the number of hours they work. >> We're trying to hold it with just being equitable with what other people in the system that have the same similar circumstance receive benefits, >> right? So, they're going to be considered what are they going to be considered? A bus driver or or special ed aid? >> It'd be more of an aid because they won't have a license.
012>> They'll be more of a a special aid >> attendant. >> They're called attendants because if we if we call them an aid, >> they possibly would have to have the parapro test or two years of college. >> And by doing the attendant and and Mr. West morning came up with this by doing calling them an attendant then they don't have to have the parapro test or the two years of college to be able to do this position. >> So they're special ed aids and they're going to be housed at the transportation department. They're not going to be doing anything else. They're going to be riding they will be riding those special ed buses and >> but we're not requiring them to go through jump through the same hoops as we would a special ed
013uh assistant that works in in in our classrooms. the paraprofessional test or the two years of college requirement would be waved, >> but their specialty would be riding buses and helping us with u with those children. >> I believe I I talked to him and I think the funding will be coming from transportation. >> So it comes from general ed. >> Well, wherever they pay the They have an aotment. So it could be coming from this bed transportation aotment. I'm not sure. >> Do we have any idea, Mr. Park Grove, if we've got anybody inside our system that wants these jobs yet? >> Not exactly sure, but I mean we're we're paying a a licensed bus driver to do it to do it now. I certainly see there's a need for it. You know, in
014fact, I wish there was a assistant on every bus because I've had bus drivers even >> do what they do without assistance. Sometimes another adult on the bus with them. >> It's very hard. >> So, there's six positions and two of them will f are fulltime. Is that correct? >> Well, we will will receive benefits. They will work past the 30 hour threshold. And if they're not on a bus riding the bus, then they'll be working out of the transportation department. >> They they could be riding and sometimes we take, you know, whether it's we're on a field trip and our special needs students are part of that. They could ride that bus or they could be at the the shop helping clean buses. I mean, it's we'll we'll utilize them. Are we sure that
015we need all I mean can we hire all six of them for six hours a day? Have we looked at that or is are we absolutely sure we don't need but two or >> we we feel like right now with the the number of children we we have that two would surprise >> Go ahead. M >> m Mr. Morris said that uh two of the routes will end up going over the sixh hour mark. uh the other uh routes that he's needing these attendance for is under the that given amount. Uh so we're going off of what Mr. Morris has told us that he's needing. Um and that's what's being done right now, but it's with people that either have license or right now we're have to fill with overtime people. uh others that's in
016our school system that are riding the bus as an aid and getting overtime because they're working a full day in the school and then going and doing the this for overtime pay and we would be doing away with that overtime pay as well. >> Who is paying the overtime pay now? what budget does that >> uh we understood and I went ahead and sent to to Miss Millson uh it would be now what she sent to me I asked her who's going to be paying for it or what funding and her answer to this was uh we'll have to do a a budget amendment to move it from where the overtime is being paid from now. So it would be a budget amendment that you would see at a board meeting to move it from
017where the overtime is being paid over to >> Yeah. But where's who what budget is paying the overtime now? That's what I'm saying. Is it general school or special ed? >> I'm pretty sure it's the transportation budget, which would be the general >> Mr. Mars is good with with taking all this out of his budget. >> In some ways, it's actually dropping the amounts to do the position. >> Okay. So, because of the salary. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Just as long as he's good with that. >> Yes, ma'am. and and actually >> so he has been paying this before >> this has been >> transportation has been paying for the the assistance for special ed. Is that correct? >> No, ma'am. The um we're paying other bus drivers >> for the same. >> Yes,
018ma'am. For the same. We're paying other bus drivers drivers more than we would pay these people we hire. And we have less bus drivers because they're partnered up on these buses. >> They're helping us with those um special ed buses >> and are we need bus drivers to drive our buses >> instead of >> as well in the buses >> and we're doing it at a um smaller dollar amount. >> So he was paying for them before he's going to be paying for them now. It'll be a little bit less. >> Yes, ma'am. Terger, what I was maybe thinking about was if we can't get people to work four hours a day, would it be easier to get somebody work the six hours and not not have to >> may you may be right. I
019mean, but uh for us, we were going to >> try it and see >> and let's see what the interest is. >> There may be a population that wants to work a small amount of hours, >> right? Now, when you talk about adding um benefits, that's a lot of money. So, if you're talking about four extra people with benefits, that's we'll end up losing money rather than gaining money at that point. >> And and right now, we're we're the way we're configured on with the needs on the buses, we're looking at two with benefits and four without. >> Yeah. >> And that may shift. That may go to five and one. It may go to three and three. >> Right. But we want to be, you know, physically responsible on the dollar amount and try
020to to save our system money, but we also want to serve our children. And that means we want bus drivers driving our buses. And >> right, >> Mr. Harrove, another thing for for Mr. Hanser, u, it it probably would be easier for us to find somebody to do the six hours and also to get the benefits. Uh the the question is do we hire somebody and give them an extra two hours and we don't need it? I mean you see what I'm saying is do we do we just hire somebody and give them another two hours and benefits to and we don't even need it. They're just we don't need that time because the bus is already in >> right now. All routes require two, >> right? just because of who's on the buses and
021and and where we're taking them. >> And reason why I asked while ago about is there some people inside our system that we might could move to do some of these positions as well. there may be some interest, >> you know, >> it would and actually if the board approves it Monday, uh, then it's going to have to be posted and anybody that's in the pos in the school system can can apply for it if they would like to do that and ask for a transfer >> but are teachers age that may be able to do that for four hours a day and then go back to the classroom. Have we thought about that? Maybe using some utilizing some people that we already have. That's where we're getting into the overtime. >> That's actually what
022we're doing right now. And it's costing us overtime. And if you do overtime, if you do overtime all the time, then you might need to look at, well, we need to hire somebody to take care of that situation. >> That makes sense. So what we're going to recommend if um at Monday board's meeting for the compensation we're going to um first of all we're going to discuss the position and um if if our if you all pass the feel good about the position we our compensation will have two people making educational assistant pay with compensation uh benefits and the other four would just be making um teacher assistance pay plus an additional dollar. That sound great. >> Sounds good. >> I appreciate you all. Thank you.