Bus drivers and school districts across the commonwealth say poor student behavior on school buses is a serious issue. The House Education Committee approved a bill Tuesday that seeks to change that.
House Bill 446 – sponsored by Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, and Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher, R-Louisville – would require several things from school districts, students and parents in relation to school bus behavior and safety.
“The purpose of this bill is to make sure that our bus drivers are heard, protected and respected and that our children are transported in a safe environment,” Callaway said.
Callaway said she and Bratcher spoke to school bus drivers in their district on the issues drivers face. Those issues were discipline, the responses from administrators to disciplinary issues and parent or guardian behavior at bus stops.
HB 446 would require districts to develop a transportation policy agreement. Students and at least one parent or guardian per student would have to sign the policy agreement within seven days, acknowledging they’ve read the policy and will abide by it.
“This policy also addresses parent and guardian behavior, emphasizing that they will be liable if they become aggressive or create an unsafe environment for the drivers or the riders,” Callaway said.
Using Jefferson County as an example, Callaway said the district had 1,126 reported incidents of a student striking another student on a school bus last semester. She also said one principal in Bullitt County reported viewing two to six offense videos from buses per day compared to one to two videos per week a few years ago.
“We want to empower our drivers and encourage our administrators to listen to the voices of the drivers and to handle things in an expedient fashion,” Callaway added.
Rep. Tina Bojanowski, D-Louisville, asked Callaway if she would consider changing the bill so that young students who are not old enough write their name or read, do not have to sign the agreement.
Callaway said she thinks requiring all students to sign the agreement is important so parents have an opportunity to explain what type of behavior is expected on school buses.
The House Education Committee approved HB 446 by a 15-0 vote with three pass votes. It now heads to the full House for consideration.