The Washington County School District Board of Education on March 6, 2018, approved its consent agenda, including an award of the district's substitute-staffing contract to Educational Staffing Services (ESS), to begin July 1 under an initial one-year term with renewals permitted up to five years.

The vote to approve the consent agenda was moved by Member Blake and seconded by Member Cox; the board voiced its approval and the motion passed with no opposition recorded in the meeting transcript. District staff presented several items on the consent agenda before the vote, including minutes from February, financial reports, travel outside the 150-mile radius, Land Trust plan changes and the substitute contract recommendation.

Why it matters: the substitute services contract covers placements for teacher, secretary and paraprofessional substitutes across the district and determines the vendor that will provide recruitment, program management and the online platform teachers use to accept and manage assignments.

District staff said ESS was the committee recommendation following the district's request for proposals; the contract will replace the current provider, Kelly Services. A staff presenter identified as Mark said ESS currently uses a regional manager and plans to provide a dedicated local program manager and an HR staff person to support the district. Mark said ESS is nationally active, is headquartered in Kentucky and uses the ASAP online platform that teachers already recognize; the district expects minimal impact to classroom staff when the vendor transitions.

Board members asked about contract length and scope. Mark said the initial contract starts July 1, runs for one year and contains renewals that could extend the relationship up to five years. Board members also asked whether ESS operates in neighboring states; staff responded that it is a nationwide firm.

The meeting also included a question about unexpectedly high adult-education fee revenue on the financial report. A board member noted the adult ed fees line showed a budget of $32,000 and current receipts of $181,000 (about a 562 percent increase) and asked why receipts were so far above budget. Mark told the board the figure reflected deferred revenue from the prior year: state funding rollovers and limits on how much revenue can be rolled from one year to the next left $181,000 recorded as deferred revenue, not new revenue collected this fiscal year.

Board action
Member Blake moved to approve the consent agenda items a–g (minutes, financial report, personnel items, 150-mile travel requests, a Land Trust plan change, date changes and the substitute contract). Member Cox seconded. The board indicated approval by voice vote; no dissent was recorded in the transcript.

What’s next: the contract with ESS will begin implementation on July 1 unless the board or staff later announce changes; staff said they will provide additional implementation details as the vendor establishes the local program manager and HR support.