Celina ISD employees who help the district find bus drivers can now earn up to $750 per successful hire under a new referral program.

The Celina ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the pilot incentive at its Sept. 21 meeting, as first reported by Community Impact. The program covers the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.

The district needs drivers. As of September, Celina ISD had 41 bus drivers, nine of whom were still completing certification. The district's target is 56, according to Human Resources Director Mindy Schoen's presentation to the board.

Schoen said at the Sept. 21 meeting that she would welcome 15 more drivers on staff.

Under the program, any full-time district employee can refer a qualified bus driver candidate. If the district hires that person, the referring employee receives $375 after the new driver completes 90 days on the job and another $375 at the end of the driver's work year.

The program includes eligibility restrictions. Employees involved in the hiring process cannot participate. The referral must be submitted before the candidate receives a job offer, and only one referral per candidate is allowed.

Schoen told the board that employees hired through referrals tend to stay longer than those hired without one.

"The retention for those employees is a lot longer than if we were to bring somebody in just off the street," she said.

The driver shortage comes as Celina ISD's enrollment has nearly doubled in four years, growing from 3,359 students in 2022 to 7,159 in 2026, according to a district accountability presentation at the same meeting. That pace of growth has strained transportation staffing across the district.

At the Sept. 21 meeting, the board also unanimously approved a capital project amendment for a new transportation service center in downtown Celina to house the district's growing bus fleet. No cost figure was included in the public recap.

Board Vice President Jarratt Calvert praised the referral approach. "Any kind of outside-the-box idea to help get people in the door is great," Calvert said.

The next regular Celina ISD Board of Trustees meeting is Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. at Moore Middle School, 300 E.G.A. Moore Pkwy, Celina.