| Title |
K-12 School Bus Bidding and Purchasing Study |
| Online Availability |
1.4 megabytes, requires version 4.0 or later of Adobe Acrobat Reader Software
Click Here For Report Digest
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| Abstract |
The 2004 Legislature directed JLARC to examine the state's school bus bidding and purchasing practices. In 2003-05, the state paid local school districts approximately $46 million for their school bus purchases. The Legislature wanted to know if state purchasing practices could further encourage competitive pricing while still allowing local school districts the choice of what buses to buy. JLARC examined historical bus purchase practices across the state and in other states across the country. The study concludes that the prices districts pay for school buses in Washington are not unreasonably high, that allowing a private non-profit to sell buses does cost districts more, and that the state could change the reimbursement process to make the annual payments to districts predictable. The study's three recommendations are to make permanent the current school bus bidding, purchasing, and payment system; to examine promising practices for possible implementation in Washington school districts; and to consider changing the state payments to school districts by financing future school bus purchases.
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| Author(s) |
Heather Moss, Analyst
Cindi Yates, Project Manager
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| Print Availability |
Request hard copy from the
JLARC Publications Officer |
| Keywords |
K-12, K12, School, School bus, bus, bid, bidding, school bus bidding, purchasing, purchase, ESD, OSPI, OFM, KCDA, King County Directors Association, transportation |
| Category |
Education, Transportation |