The Hawaii Department of Education expects to make up the bulk of its $17 million shortfall in student transportation services by leasing buses to contractors, according to internal documents.

The Board of Education has spent the first half hour of its committee meeting on the matter today behind closed doors.

When the meeting resumes in open session, the board plans to hear a detailed presentation from the department on how to plug the hole.

State lawmakers underfunded the school bus budget again this session because the department has failed to rein in skyrocketing contract costs in recent years.

Check out Civil Beat later for a full story.