District proposes transportation pilots and expanded communications to support new strategic plan

District operations and communications staff combined operational proposals with a request for expanded outreach funding during the workshop.

Chief Davidson asked the board to approve a $40,000 allotment for student CAT transit cards at a reduced rate for eligible choice‑program students and proposed a pilot shuttle for two schools (Charles Ellis and Garrison) at an estimated $1.5 million to test safety, parent satisfaction and feasibility before any wider roll‑out.

Board members raised safety concerns about off‑campus CAT stops and pressed for clearer service expectations from the transit provider, including consistent inbound/outbound route stops where possible. Officials said the CAT agreement is under negotiation and that they will seek measurable commitments tied to service and communication improvements.

Communications leaders, citing enrollment pressure, proposed a $150,000 targeted external informational campaign aimed at building public awareness of district programs and driving prospective families to district assets (school visits, website, open houses). They also requested about $75,000 for a family‑engagement and community‑partnership inventory platform to better track community services and measure the return on investment of partnerships.

The communications team emphasized that improved basic school‑level communications and ADA‑compliant school websites are foundational; several board members reiterated that clearer, consistent school websites should be prioritized as the district expands paid media efforts.

What’s next: Staff said the transportation pilot includes performance metrics and that communications will return with campaign goals and measures that link outreach spending to enrollment indicators and community partner outcomes.