Te Obama administration announced
the one-year extension on July 2. Te man- date applies to all entities that employ 50 or more people. Presenter Mark Hinson, chief of HR at
Adams 12 Five Star Schools near Denver, said some school districts might have been in “a world of hurt” had the deadline not been extended, as the federal government
had yet to release instructions on how to interpret the details of this mandate or how to comply. Now, he said, instead of looking at this issue as “problematic and panic,” transportation directors should take this time to “plan and prepare.” He stressed the need to analyze the
workforce in the transportation department and determine which part-timers will be
offered healthcare benefits and which ones won’t. For each part-timer who isn’t offered benefits, the district will pay a penalty fine. So, either way, districts will end up paying something. Hinson noted that some dis- tricts might determine that paying a penalty fine will be more feasible for them than offering benefits. Sequestration of federal funds for special needs education and Head Start was also a hot topic. One session suggested ways stu- dent transporters in Head Start programs could stop the hemorrhaging caused by the 5.27 percent funding reduction enacted by Congress this spring by redistributing resources to mitigate the impact on the families participating in their programs. Te decision has sent Head Start manag-
ers reeling as they consider impending cuts in staff, enrollees, equipment and program dura- tion. Presenter Elaine Shea, a grantee special- ist for Region XI American Indian & Alaska Native Training & Technical Assistance in the Pacific Northwest, said the cuts would cause decisions that will force programs to
Lt. Paul Hasenmeier, a firefighter and trainer, talked emergency planning.
reduce or cut transportation completely. “Head Start is supposed to serve the neediest of the needy,” she lamented to the solemn gathering. “Te transportation staff has the most valuable and current infor- mation to enlighten program managers, and help them understand the children and their families. Identify yourselves as active advocates and get invited to those meetings where the decisions are made.” Shea said transportation is on the radar
screen because it is part of health and safety, and school readiness. “Transportation is the foundation of school readiness,” she told the group. “Te bus ride is the best part of the day for many of these children. You help them become active learners.” Shea ended the session on a hopeful note:
“It will be a challenge to continue to deliver quality services with staff cuts, older buses
58 School Transportation News September 2013
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