Question: How many crossing guard positions are vacant? What is the cost difference between in-house staff and contract crossing guards, and what is the cost trend in contracting? What if any previously discussed solutions have we implemented? (Mayor Gaskins, Councilwoman Greene)
Response:
A School Crossing Guard is 0.375 FTE, or a part-time employee at 15 hours per week. The current authorized staffing for the School Crossing Guard program is 27 crossing guards (10.125 FTEs). Of those, eight (8) are currently filled, while 19 are vacant. The Alexandria Police Department (APD) is currently recruiting for these positions on a recurring basis and will continue to do so.
The program is supervised by a full-time supervisor, and the APD maintains a contract with a vendor that provides crossing guards for locations citywide to supplement the in-house crossing guards. The average cost per in-house crossing guard is $19,312.80 per year for 780 hours of service, or $24.76 per hour (15 hours a week). The contract rate is $46.25 per hour in FY 2026. The most recent increase was from $43.05 in FY 2024.