Controversial Issues Before Board Tonight

The Orange Unified School Board will tackle two controversial issues tonight, with trustees debating whether to reinstate student counseling services and deciding the fate of a so-far disastrous effort to privatize bus services.

A primary political issue for the conservative majority of the board, privatizing bus services was supposed to save the district about $500,000 per year.

But in September, the Santa Barbara Transportation Co. backed out of its contract less than 24 hours before school opened for the year, citing problems with the contract, which school officials denied. Administrators scrambled to hire temporary drivers among those who had been fired last year.

Officials received two new bus bids earlier this month--one from Laidlaw Student Transportation and one from the union representing drivers, which has proposed bringing control of the 70-bus fleet back in-house.

Before they decide between those two options, the trustees will have to pick over seven possible solutions to providing student counseling assistance.

Three nonprofit groups that have sent counseling interns into the schools for years had been told this summer that their contracts would not be renewed this year. Administrators explained that the trustees had made clear their lack of support for services not strictly linked to academics.

But parents and professionals last month protested the action. Counselors, who are paid through state anti-drug funds, help students cope with emotional and personal problems that distract them from their schoolwork, the protesters said.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at district headquarters, 1401 N. Handy St.