ANALYSIS A Clear Path to School Board Approval As elected officials, board members have fiduciary and strategic accountability to the communities
they serve. Te budget planning process can be daunting as school districts across the country grapple with funding shortfalls. To preserve education quality and teachers, many school boards are looking to cut transportation and other operational areas as well as programs affecting athletics and the arts. Board members need more data for a change in direction or for an investment in a system or equip-
By Antonio Civitella
ment. Without data to illustrate an investment or program is in line with the district’s strategic goals, or that it sets realistic expectations for improvement in services, board approval can be delayed. Tis can be unfortunate for a district, especially when it comes to transportation. If approval cannot be obtained by early spring, it is almost impossible to implement a new transportation model or system in time for the fall opening. New systems or models require time to be implemented, tested and veri- fied, and personnel need to be well versed in adapting their operations accordingly. How does a transportation department gather the data in the first place, and how does the depart-
ment maintain it? It is only through reliance on computerized systems that generate data and offer analytical tools that provide options that transportation departments can smooth the way to board approval. With limited funds, decisions are harder to make, so district departments cannot come before a board without a presentation that contains accurate numbers and options to consider. A computerized routing system will generate not only accurate numbers but scenarios to consider.
Better yet, it will visualize data. Ten, if improvement in efficiencies can be demonstrated through in- cremental changes that lead to savings over the long term, boards can more easily reach consensus. For example, if in designated areas students walk to more central stops, bus travel time and fuel consump- tion are reduced twice a day for 180 days. Over time this can result in significant savings. However, board members must see real numbers that are based on actual operational data. Tis hearkens back to the ideals of W. Edwards Deming, the renowned 20th century “high prophet
of statistical quality control.” Rebuffed by the United States following World War II, he accepted Japan’s invitation to apply his quality principles to Japanese manufacturing, which at the time was at an all-time low. He insisted that improvements in manufacturing processes could not be made and verified un- less backed by hard data. But he assured the Japanese that if they adhered to his quality improvement processes and documented them, he could help them turn around their manufacturing quality in five years. Tis occurred even sooner, and Deming is credited with the spectacular rise of Japanese industry. As a transportation software vendor, I only can address the types of data needed to smooth the
way for board approval for investments or changes in transportation – either in policy, systems or models. Tese include, but are not limited to: • Expenditures for new buses to increase capacity, improve safety, and also reduce fuel con-
sumption. Boards need to know the current level of a transportation department’s fleet, current fuel costs and capacity to serve the student population. Real data illustrates the need for new buses based on fleet age or anticipated student population growth. • Investment in a transportation software system in light of new school construction that
will require redistricting. Redistricting has several complexities, and decisions about changes in schools affect everyone in the district. It can also be costly unless several scenarios are examined by the board. In complex cases like this, transportation directors should engage a consultant who uses a computerized redistricting model to analyze several options. • Results of an RFP for a transportation software system. One of the most tried and true means
Civitella is president and CEO of Transfinder, a market leader in school
transportation solutions serving more than 1,400 school districts in the
United States and Canada.
of presenting data to school boards is a presentation on a completed competitive bid process for a new software system. However, the RFP process is time consuming, so transportation directors and purchas- ing agents must work far in advance to prepare the RFP, organize a review committee, establish clear parameters for scoring submissions and create a realistic timeline for awarding the contract, including the board approval process. States may have to help with more than reimbursement, as the state of Maine did in 2009 in
giving each district access to a comprehensive suite of software products and services. Maine’s transportation office must present its model and how it was conceived and implemented. Whether school districts are considering a regional or state model for shared services, approval by individual school boards remains the critical step in the process. ■
44 School Transportation News Magazine April 2011
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