The Bibb County Board of Education authorized the superintendent to issue purchase orders to staffing vendors for certified teacher placements on an as-needed basis, with the aggregate not-to-exceed amount set at $500,000 for FY2026.

Emmanuel Frasier of Human Resources told the board the contract is intended to give the district access to highly qualified certified candidates, and that the services are used chiefly to fill special education vacancies that are hard to staff, for example speech-language pathologists and teachers for low-incidence exceptionalities. Frasier said the district spent less than budgeted in the prior year and that usage can vary year to year depending on hiring and attrition in specialized roles.

Board members pressed for context on the $500,000 ceiling after hearing the FY2025 spend was well below a previous $1 million authorization. Several board members and HR staff emphasized the need for flexibility to quickly place professionals for high-need students, noting that waiting for a monthly board meeting to approve additional spending could delay critical services. Supporters argued the not-to-exceed amount provides a cushion for urgent hires; others asked that HR continue refining projections with special-education leadership.

The board approved the recommendation and the item will move to the consent agenda for formal ratification.