Industry expert, NAPT Hall of Famer, TSD Tenured Faculty Member, and consultant Linda Bluth, Ed.D joins us for the first time on the podcast to share insights on students with special needs. She addresses the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), departmental collaboration, aides, alternative transportation, substitute drivers, training and more.
New Zonar CEO Charles Kriete discusses the technology provider’s combination with GPS Trackit, as well as efficiencies and innovations planned for the future.
The yellow school bus might be the most iconic way for students to get to school but the industry is also increasingly utilizing alternative vehicles in circumstances where a traditional school bus may not be able or be the best option to accommodate the route or students.
“While it is always preferable that children ride on yellow school buses there are some areas and instances where this may not be possible,” reads a statement paper the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) released earlier this year and ahead of the National Congress on School Transportation in May. “In such situations, it is crucial that children are transported in the safest possible vehicles and driven by qualified, trained, and well-regulated drivers.”
The NAPT paper outlines the current emerging trend of alternative transportation and the association’s recommendations to student transporters who are using vehicles other than the school bus. It notes the ongoing shortage of school bus drivers is a contributing factor to the increase of use of alternative vehicles.
“As this trend has increased, NAPT believes it is important to clarify appropriate and necessary steps to ensure the safety of our school children when such services are utilized by school districts,” the statement says.
It comes as no surprise that safety is the top priority and consideration, which NAPT says includes driver qualifications, vehicle integrity and safety features. The statement recognizes that alternative transportation service providers have taken the initiative to set safety standards and that the NAPT has worked directly with some of these providers.
“Our purpose and interest is to create clearer and nationally applicable standards that can be employed by school districts to make appropriate decisions to meet their needs,” emphasizes the statement. “We intend to involve the alternate provider community in our efforts as partners and collaborators.”
School Transportation News discussed the statement with Peter Mannella, who is NAPT’s public policy and communications liaison. Mannella recently spoke at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference in November, leading a panel discussion on alternative transportation services for students with special needs. He mentioned the statement and pointed attendees to it on the NAPT website. He also said the NAPT took no position in publishing the paper.
Instead, he told STN that NAPT intentionally did not set standards but chose “to identify those elements or factors for which school districts should have standards, especially in the absence of national standards or even consistent state-level standards. Clearly, standard setting rests with federal and/or state agencies with input from professional associations like NAPT and our partners.”
During the Nov. 11 TSD Conference panel discussion, Mannella noted that the industry recognizes that alternative transportation can be a good thing “but it would be better if we could shape it differently, if we could put some restrictions or regulations or requirements around it to help us be sure we’re doing the right thing.
The NAPT statement lists what it describes as “clear and reasonable criteria” to help districts ensure that the alternative transportation service providers are not only able to meet the transportation needs of the students but that they are meeting the same or similar safety standards that are required of the yellow school bus and its drivers.
“We are seeing diverse approaches to these services including entry into the market of major private school bus contractors, parental arrangements and more,” Mannella said, which he added also emphasizes the need for consistent federal and state regulations.
He also advised districts to involve legal departments and insurance providers to make sure liability considerations are addressed.
“These arrangements are legal and financial transactions and need to be handled and managed accordingly,” he said. “It is incumbent on a school district to take reasonable care and precautions in ensuring the safety of their students and to not compromise on safety in those relationships, and that of necessity applies to alternate transportation providers.”
NAPT said alternative transportation providers should ensure that all their drivers have a current license appropriate to the vehicle they are using and have systems in place to require drivers undergo criminal background checks and random drug and alcohol testing. Training is also crucial, including training for emergency situations, loading and unloading, student behavior management, bullying and bullying prevention. Transporting students with special needs will also require drivers to be aware of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) requirements and provisions that need to be made.
The statement continues that vehicle safety requirements should include “adequate signage to ensure that the public is aware that the vehicle is transporting children, and that caution is needed.” There should also be frequent maintenance inspections to ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy and safe, in accordance with state requirements.
NAPT also lists evacuation training protocol, enforcement of vehicle capacity, and ensuring that safety equipment outlined in the IEP is onboard, which can include child restraint safety systems, capacity to secure wheelchairs or medical equipment, as factors that should be present.
“The board and our CEO/Executive Director [Molly McGee Hewitt] have determined that it is important for NAPT to offer members resources to help them in the performance of their duties for their schools and the children they serve. We believe this statement sets the table for further conversations and advocacy,” Mannella added
NAPT concludes the papers aying that it will continue to collaborate with state associations, business partners, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, and the National School Transportation Association to continue the discussion, moving towards consistent, safety-centered federal/ state guidelines and legislations regarding alternative transportation.
University of Utah student Rebeca Damico said her professors at first took a hard line against AI when ChatGPT was introduced in 2022, but she and other students say schools have softened their stands as the usefulness – and career potential – of the technology has become clearer. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for States Newsroom)
For 21-year-old Rebeca Damico, ChatGPT’s public release in 2022 during her sophomore year of college at the University of Utah felt like navigating a minefield.
The public relations student, now readying to graduate in the spring, said her professors immediately added policies to their syllabuses banning use of the chatbot, calling the generative artificial intelligence tool a form of plagiarism.
“For me, as someone who follows the rules, I was very scared,” Damico said. “I was like, oh, I can’t, you know, even think about using it, because they’ll know.”
Salt Lake City-based Damico studied journalism before switching her major to public relations, and saw ChatGPT and tools like it as a real threat to the writing industry. She also felt very aware of the “temptation” she and her classmates now had — suddenly a term paper that might take you all night to write could be done in a few minutes with the help of AI.
“I know people that started using it and would use it to … write their entire essays. I know people that got caught. I know people that didn’t,” Damico said. “Especially in these last couple weeks of the semester, it’s so easy to be like, ‘Oh, put it into ChatGPT,’ but then we’re like, if we do it once, it’s kind of like, this slippery slope.”
But students say they’re getting mixed messages – the stern warning from professors against use of AI and the growing pressure from the job market to learn how to master it.
The technological developments of generative AI over the last few years have cracked open a new industry, and a wealth of job opportunities. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced the first statewide partnership with a tech firm to bring AI curriculum, resources and opportunities to the state’s public colleges.
And even for those students not going into an IT role, it’s likely they will be asked to use AI in some way in their industries. Recent research from the World Economic Forum’s 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report found that 75% of people in the workforce are using AI at work, and that some hiring managers are equally prioritizing AI skills with real-world job experience.
Higher ed’s view of AI
Over the last few years, the University of Utah, like most academic institutions, has had to take a position on AI. As Damico experienced, the university added AI guidelines to its student handbook that take a fairly hard stance against the tools.
It urges professors to add additional AI detection tools in addition to education platform Canvas’ Turnitin feature, which scans assignments for plagiarism. The guidelines also now define the use of AI tools without citation, documentation or authorization as forms of cheating.
Though Damico said some professors continue to hold a hard line against AI, some have started to embrace it. The case-by-case basis Damico describes from her professors is in line with how many academic institutions are handling the technology.
Some universities spell out college-wide rules, while others leave it up to professors themselves to set AI standards in their classrooms. Others, like Stanford University’s policy, acknowledge that students are likely to interact with it.
Stanford bans AI from being used to “substantially complete an assignment or exam,” and says students must disclose its use, but says “absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative AI shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person.”
Virginia Byrne is an associate professor of higher education and student affairs at Morgan State University in Baltimore, and she studies technology in the lives of learners and educators, with a focus on how it impacts college students. She said the university allows professors to figure out what works best for them when it comes to AI. She herself often assigns projects that prompt students to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of popular AI tools.
She’s also a researcher with the TRAILS Institute, an multi-institution organization aiming to understand what trust in AI looks like, and how to create ethical, sustainable AI solutions. Along with Morgan State, researchers from University of Maryland, George Washington University and Cornell University conduct a variety of research, such as how ChatGPT can be used in health decision making, how to create watermark technology for AI or how other countries are shaping AI policy.
“It’s cool to be in a space with people doing research that’s related, but so different,” Byrne said. “Because it expands your thinking, and it allows us to bring graduate students and undergraduate students into this community where everyone is focused on trustworthiness and AI, but from so many different lenses.”
Byrne hopes that her students can see the potential that AI has to make their lives and work more easy, but she worries that it creates an “artificial expectation” for how young people need to perform online.
“It might lead some folks, younger folks, who are just starting their careers, to feel like they need to use (social media tool) Canva to look totally perfect on LinkedIn, and use all these tools to … optimize their time and their calendars,” Byrne said. “And I just worry that it’s creating a false expectation of speed and efficiency that the tools currently can’t accomplish.”
Theresa Fesinstine is the founder of peoplepower.ai, which trains HR professionals on ways AI can be used efficiently within their organization. This semester, she instructed her first college course at the City University of New York on AI and business, and taught students of all years and backgrounds.
Fesinstine said she was surprised how many of her students knew little to nothing about AI, but heard that many other instructors warned they’d fail students who were found to have used it in assignments. She thinks this mixed messaging often comes from not understanding the technology, and its abilities to help with an outline, or to find research resources.
“It’s a little scary, and I think that’s where, right now, most of the trepidation is centered around,” she said. “It’s that most people, in my opinion, haven’t been trained or understand how to use AI most effectively, meaning they use it in the same way that you would use Google.”
Real-world applications
Shriya Boppana, a 25-year-old MBA student at Duke University, not only uses AI in her day-to-day life for schoolwork, but she’s also pursuing a career in generative AI development and acquisitions. She wasn’t initially interested in AI, she said, but she worked on a project with Google and realized how the technology was set to influence everyday life, and how malleable it still is.
“Once you kind of realize how much that the tech actually isn’t as fleshed out as you think it is, I was a little more interested in … trying to understand what the path is to get it where it needs to go,” Boppana said.
She said she uses some form of AI tool every day, from planning her own schedule, to having a chatbot help decide how students in a group project should divide and complete work, based on their availability. Because she works with it regularly, she understands the strengths and limitations of AI, saying it helps her get mundane tasks done, process data or outline an assignment.
But she said the personalized tone she aims to have in her writing just isn’t there yet with the publicly available AI tools, so she doesn’t completely rely on it for papers or correspondence.
Parris Haynes, a 22-year-old junior studying philosophy at Morgan State, said the structure and high demand of some students’ coursework almost “encourages or incentivizes” them to use AI to help get it all done.
He sees himself either going into law, or academia and said he’s a little nervous about how AI is changing those industries. Though he leans on AI to help organize thoughts or assignments for classes like chemistry, Haynes said he wouldn’t go near it when it comes to his work or career-related objectives for his philosophy classes.
“I don’t really see much of a space for AI to relieve me of the burden of any academic assignments or potential career tasks in regards to philosophy,” Haynes said. “Even if it could write a convincing human-seeming paper, a philosophical paper, it’s robbing me of the joy of doing it.”
Gen Z’s outlook on their future with AI
Like Haynes, Fesinstine knows that some of her students are interested, but a little scared about the power AI may have over their futures. Although there’s a lot of research about how older generations’ jobs are impacted by AI, those just about to break into the workforce may be the most affected, because they’ve grown up with these technologies.
“I would say the attitude is — I use this term a lot, ‘cautiously curious,’” Fesinstine said. “You know, there’s definitely a vibe around ethics and protection that I don’t know that I would see in other generations, perhaps … But there’s also an acknowledgement that this is something that a lot of companies are going to need and are going to want to use.”
Now, two years since ChatGPT’s release, Damico has started to realize the ways generative AI is useful in the workplace. She began working with PR firm Kronus Communications earlier this year, and was encouraged to explore some time-saving or brainstorming functions of generative AI.
She’s become a fan of having ChatGPT explain new business concepts to her, or to get it to suggest Instagram captions. She also likes to use it for more refined answers than Google might provide, such as if she’s searching for publications to pitch a client to.
Though she’s still cautious, and won’t use generative AI to write actual assignments for her, Damico said she realizes she needs the knowledge and experience after graduation — “it gives you kind of this edge.”
Boppana, who sees her career growing in the AI space, feels incredibly optimistic about the role AI will play in her future. She knows she’s more knowledgeable and prepared to go into an AI-centered workforce than most, but she feels like the opportunities for growth in healthcare, telecommunications, computing and more are worth wading into uncertain waters.
“I think it’s like a beautiful opportunity for people to learn how machines just interact with the human world, and how we can, I don’t know, make, like, prosthetic limbs, like test artificial hearts … find hearing aids,” Boppana said. “There’s so much beauty in the way that AI helps human beings. I think you just have to find your space within it.”
Lincoln Hills, a detention facility the state had ordered closed by 2021. (Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections)
When Randy Forsterling went to the Lincoln Hills juvenile prison at 16, he learned skills he still uses today, he told the Examiner.
The Wisconsin Examiner’s Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation
“I’m a machine operator,” Forsterling said. “I die cast, I make transmission casings and engine blocks for one of the largest corporations in the world. A lot of the metallurgy that I learned when I was in the foundry in Lincoln Hills, I use it now — 25 years later.”
While Forsterling doesn’t believe Lincoln Hills still has a foundry, a Wisconsin initiative is aiming to better prepare incarcerated youth with disabilities for the workforce.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released a statement about a collaboration with the Departments of Corrections and Workforce Development that is “the first of its kind in Wisconsin.”
“By providing these young individuals with the guidance, education and opportunities they need, we empower them to break the cycle and contribute positively to society,” State Superintendent Jill Underly said in the statement. “Supporting these kids is not only a step toward healing, it is an investment in their future and will save future taxpayer expenses.”
The U.S. Department of Education awarded the DPI a 5-year, $10 million grant. The program aims to help youth with disabilities transition from correctional facilities into their communities, according to a DPI statement released in September. Funds will also be used for work rehabilitation training and for dyslexia screening for all youth during intake at state correctional facilities.
The project provides three different levels of support, with some youth falling into more than one level.
Randy Forsterling told the Examiner he made an eagle with a wingspan of about four feet out of aluminum at a foundry at Lincoln Hills. The eagle is mounted on the front of a cottage. Photo courtesy of Randy Forsterling
The program intends to support all justice-involved youth with disabilities and the adults who care about them, according to an abstract on the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration’s website. They will receive support through social media campaigns and an app-based reentry toolkit. This is the broadest level of support, for 8,000 participants, the abstract says.
The second level will support a “targeted group” of students made up of Wisconsin youth under 18 in state correctional facilities. This level involves dyslexia screening and “related intervention services” and is for 1,500 participants.
The smallest group will receive the highest level of care, or intensive supports, the abstract says. These are students “most marginalized at the intersection of disability and justice and, often, race.” They will receive care under a model that is “trauma-informed, community-based” and facilitated by mentors. This level is for 250 participants, who will begin receiving care while incarcerated.
Young people have a higher risk of returning to incarceration in Wisconsin
The Department of Public Instruction’s statement compared youth to older age groups for a three-year period after release, citing an August 2021 DOC report. The report found that for a 2016 cohort, 20-24 year-olds were reincarcerated about twice as often as people aged 45 or older.
According to the DOC’s website, of 45 people aged 19 and younger released in 2020, 33 were reincarcerated in Wisconsin within three years after release due to a new sentence or a revocation. This data is based only on readmissions to DOC prisons, so it wouldn’t include reincarceration in another state.
Forsterling said he committed crimes when he was 20 and went into adult prison at 21; he was released to extended supervision last year. He hopes the program will take the experiences of formerly incarcerated people and staff into account.
Good job training is important for getting a good job, Forsterling said, which helps people avoid a desperate situation that may lead to a return to crime.
“And that’s where mentors come in very handy,” he said.
Forsterling said he received helpful mentoring at Lincoln Hills. He mentors and supports several friends who are still incarcerated.
Cost to incarcerate per child rises as enrollment falls
The cost of incarceration at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake has “ballooned” to nearly $463,000 per child per year, as enrollment has “plummeted,” Wisconsin Watch and Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service reported last week. Fewer youth means fixed infrastructure and staffing costs are spread across fewer individuals.
A new Department of Corrections budget request would nearly double that amount, they reported. That would raise the cost to 58 times what taxpayers spend on the average K-12 public school student.
Wisconsin’s Division of Juvenile Corrections had a population of 81 people as of a monthly report for September, including 40 at Lincoln Hills and 14 at Copper Lake. The campus was designed for more than 500 youth, the news organizations reported.
The juvenile prisons, which have been troubled for many years and are slated for closure, received renewed scrutiny after youth counselor Corey Proulx died from injuries received in an assault in late June. Lawmakers on the 2023 Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety heard testimony about safety concerns at a hearing in August.
The DOC is under a court-ordered consent decree mandating changes at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake after a 2018 lawsuit challenged practices such as the use of pepper spray and punitive solitary confinement.
The DPI received the grant to assist minors with disabilities as part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Disability Innovation Fund program. The program seeks to ensure people with disabilities receive “in-demand, good-paying jobs.” Out of over 800 organizations, Wisconsin was one of 27 projects to receive the grant.
Author and speaker Scott Welle will be appearing at the 2025 STN EXPO East conference to help attendees raise their performance to the next level.
Working in the student transportation field brings unique challenges and can sometimes feel like a thankless job. Welle will inspire STN EXPO attendees to challenge the limiting beliefs that could be holding them back from reaching their highest performance potential. He will outline the power in pursuing the person you need to become versus only focusing on job roles. Attendees will receive strategies that high performing individuals use to handle pressure and thrive in unpredictable situations.
Welle will give an exclusive keynote during the Transportation Director’s Summit on Saturday, March 22 at Topgolf Charlotte Southwest. “ELEVATE: How Exceptional Leaders Inspire Peak Performance” will share how to implement successful leadership practices. His keynote session, “Outperform the Norm,” sponsored by Thomas Built Buses, is on Monday, March 24 at the Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord and will be open to all main conference attendees.
Scott Welle, author and speaker, will give his keynote session at STN EXPO East as well as special training at the Transportation Directors Summit.
Welle’s background in motivating individuals from professional athletes and CEOs to any person looking to improve spans over 15 years. His master’s degree in sports psychology paired with his commitment to pushing physical limits through completing 30 marathons and five Ironman triathlons shows Welle’s dedication to not only teaching but modeling personal and professional excellence. Welle is the author of the “Outperform the Norm” book series, founder of the Outperform podcast, and has his own Youtube channel.
Save $200 on conference registration with Super Early Bird registration by Dec. 20. Stay tuned for updates on the conference agenda, exhibitor lists, hotel information and registration at stnexpo.com/east.
The Osceola County School District is in the process of developing an maintenance apprenticeship program, thought to be the first of its kind in the state. Individuals with an interest in learning about school bus technology and to gain training and experience in repairing buses are being paid while they attend school and participate in training.
There have been other school bus apprenticeship programs in the U.S., but none at least in modern-day Florida.
“We currently have three apprentices that are working in our central bus depot in our district. There are plans to expand the program after the initial testing period,” said Borras, supervisor of transportation for Osceola County Schools, located south and east of Orlando.
The program is beneficial for mechanics by providing hands-on experience they cannot receive elsewhere. The program offers the opportunity to learn useful skills in a work environment and will assist in job placement opportunities.
According to Borras, the apprenticeship program is going well. Young people are working and learning through it and more are coming into the program.
“We are growing our new program. Our students have to take an aptitude test and, if they do well, they begin a hands-on learning process. We look for students who have an interest in being a mechanic and like to work with their hands,” he explained.
Borras hopes to get more younger people interested in careers as school bus mechanics. “We are working on creating a flow from local high school technical programs. We want to show them the advantages of working for the school district as a mechanic,” he said.
The students complete book work or academic style courses and then they work with experienced mechanics who have the patience and willingness to teach younger people to become expert bus mechanics.
It generally takes about a year and a half for a beginning apprentice to complete a training program to be considered qualified to work more independently. Those who can pass their course work more quickly can complete the training sooner. The apprentices are being paid while they study and learn from the more experienced mechanics.
For years, young people were not encouraged to pursue careers in the trades but there are many advantages to pursuing an apprenticeship. Young people who are less interested in academics may find repairing engines or learning various trades to be more fulfilling and exciting. One can work with experienced adults and learn valuable skills quickly.
Unlike young people who go to college and pay high tuition costs, school bus apprentices are receiving a paycheck while they learn. And if they stay with Osceola or go to another county, they receive state benefits including full health coverage and a full state pension after retirement.
Osceola County Schools mechanics help apprentice Aramis Figueroa, middle, diagnose a maintenance issue on one of the district’s school buses.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is extending by two years an exemption granted to the National School Transportation Association that allows school bus driver applicants to skip the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip inspection skills testing requirement when obtaining their commercial driver’s license.
The exemption of the so-called “under-the-hood” test was published in the Federal Register on Monday. It covers the period of Nov. 28, 2024, through Nov. 28, 2026. NSTA had requested a five-year extension.
FMCSA originally issued a temporary three-month waiver of the under-the-hood test on Jan. 3, 2022, an attempt to alleviate the school bus driver shortage. States were allowed but not required to waive a requirement that school bus driver applicants identify engine components. The waiver only applied to school buses and no other commercial vehicles.
The move has not come with out opposition. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety questioned why the engine compartment component of the skills test would be critical for all CDL drivers except school bus drivers, and it wrote that all CDL holders should be held to the same standard.
“The Minnesota DPS also stated that it is burdensome and confusing to program software for a temporary change, as well as to train law enforcement to understand and recognize the restriction,” noted in a comment on the Federal Register.
Meanwhile, the Iowa Department of Transportation stated that it represents one of the few states to adopt the waiver and has found it overly burdensome and confusing to implement, which has caused delays.
Casiano Perez said the Theodore Roosevelt quote “Believe you can and you’re halfway there” is an empowering statement that resonates with him. The quote reminds him that self-belief is crucial.
“When you start your day believing in your abilities, you’re more likely to tackle challenges with a positive mindset,” he said. “On tough days, this quote reminds me that a significant part of overcoming challenges lies in your mindset. Believing in your ability to find solutions can help you stay resilient and push through difficulties, whether it’s dealing with traffic delays, mechanical issues, or other unforeseen problems. This self-belief can also motivate you to keep striving for excellence, knowing that your efforts are making a difference in the students’ daily lives.”
Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.
Prior to joining the student transportation industy, Perez worked a couple of years a router for a food service company. Following his time with the food service company, he served in various roles — coordinating transportation for students with disabilities, managing schedules, and ensuring that all transportation activities adhered to school policies and state regulations — for a nonpublic school, expanding his experience. This experience, he said, allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and requirements of pupil transportation, particularly for students with disabilities.
In 2016, he joined the East San Gabriel Valley Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) as a transportation router. In this role, he designed and implemented efficient transportation routes for students with special needs. “My dedication and expertise quickly led to my promotion to transportation director, a position I have proudly held for the past five years,” he noted. “Throughout my career, I have consistently focused on improving transportation efficiency and ensuring the safety and well-being of students. My journey has been marked by continuous learning and a commitment to excellence in pupil transportation.”
His daily responsibilities as transportation director involve coordinating and managing various aspects of special education across 10 Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). Perez explained that he regularly communicates with the LEAs to ensure special education services are being delivered effectively. He also attends meetings with LEA representatives, parents, and other stakeholders to discuss student needs, program updates and compliance issues.
A significant part of his role, he said, includes overseeing the planning and optimization of over 120 special education transportation routes to ensure the safe and timely transport of approximately 1,000 special education students.
Other job duties include working with their transportation vendor, as he oversees the contract, and collaborating with bus drivers and transportation staff to address challenges.
“I ensure that Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are being implemented correctly and that all documentation is up to date, while staying informed about state and federal regulations related to special education to ensure compliance,” he added, noting that attending student IEP meetings is a key part of my role.
It’s during these meetings that he provides input and support to ensure that the educational plans meet the students’ needs. Perez also coordinates the allocation of resources, such as specialized equipment and support staff, “to meet the diverse needs of students, and organize training sessions and professional development opportunities for school bus drivers and transportation support staff,” he noted.
In terms of crisis management, Perez said he address any immediate issues or emergencies that arise, whether related to student behavior, transportation, or other concerns, and maintains open lines of communication with parents to address their concerns and provide updates on their child’s progress. “Every day is different and that’s what keeps things interesting,” he said.
Focus on Safety, Efficiency
Scott Turner, executive director of East San Gabriel Valley SELPA, wrote in his nomination that Perez is an amazing leader, being instrumental in creating a close partnership with school bus contractor Durham School Services that focuses on high-quality service, safety and efficiency, overcoming barriers such as varying school district calendars, strict parameters on ride time, and serving primarily a moderate/severe population.
Casiano Perez looks to provide safe and efficient support of students with special needs.
“Mr. Perez has developed and maintained ongoing meetings of a safety committee, regular professional development, hands-on emergency planning and numerous processes and policies that have been instrumental in providing services to the ten school districts,” Turner added. “… Mr. Perez has been regularly recognized by parents, superintendents, special education directors, and his peers for his dedication to improving services for students with disabilities.”
Perez explained that he has expanded on several key projects during his time as director to enhance safety and efficiency. One of those focuses has been on staff training and development for school bus drivers. East San Gabriel Valley SELPA implemented a comprehensive student management training program that educates drivers on various disabilities they may encounter and how to effectively support those students while on the school bus.
“Additionally, we have dedicated significant time to emergency planning training to ensure that our drivers are well-prepared to respond to any emergencies, whether they occur inside or outside the school bus,” he added. “This holistic approach ensures that our drivers are equipped with the necessary skills and tools to handle a wide range of situations, ultimately providing a safer and more supportive environment for our students.”
A recent challenge amid school start-up was, you guessed it, the driver shortage. Perez said it continues to be a significant hurdle for not only their operations, but across the industry. To address it, he said, they worked to establish a strong partnership with Durham, which helps them maintain a steady pipeline of trained drivers.
Transportation staff also ensures that ongoing training and support are provided to the drivers to help them with the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully transport all students.
“Additionally, throughout the year, in collaboration with Durham, we participate in lunches on special occasions such as Love the Bus Month, School Bus Driver Week, Valentine’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, and other events to help keep morale high,” Perez added. “This proactive approach helps us mitigate the impact of driver shortages and maintain a high standard of service.”
Other initiatives to boost driver morale include regularly acknowledging and rewarding outstanding performance through awards and certificates, offering ongoing training and development programs to help drivers advance in their driving careers as well as maintaining open lines of communication between drivers and management, encouraging feedback and suggestions.
“These efforts help drivers feel valued, appreciated, and involved in decision-making processes,” he said.
Going Forward
Within the next five years he said he sees the East San Gabriel Valley SELPA continuing to transform to become more efficient, inclusive and environmentally friendly. Perez said his goal is to create a system where every student, regardless of their special needs, has access to safe and reliable transportation. To achieve this, the plan is to fully integrate technology in all aspects of their transportation operations. This, he said, will ensure safety and efficiency to optimize routes, reduce travel times and improve communication channels between the SELPA, parents, and the community, which is essential to ensure transparency and foster collaboration.
“Additionally, we are continuously upgrading our safety protocols and infrastructure to create a secure environment for all students,” he said. “These goals reflect our commitment to creating a supportive, innovative, and inclusive educational environment for all our students.”
In working with Durham, East San Gabriel Valley SELPA is committed to transitioning to a greener fleet by incorporating electric vehicles.
“I would also like to expand training programs for school bus drivers to include specialized training in handling the unique needs of our students, ensuring a compassionate and supportive environment,” he said of future projects. “Through these initiatives, I aim to create a transportation system that not only meets the logistical needs of our students but also supports their overall well-being and educational success.”
Above all, Perez said his favorite part of his job, is the opportunity to make a positive impact on students’ lives every day.
“Every day, I get to ensure that these students have a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable journey to and from school,” he said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see their smiles and know that I’m contributing to their overall well-being and educational experience.”
Plus, he said, he enjoys the relationships that he’s built with the students and their families. “Understanding their unique needs and preferences allows me to provide personalized care and support, which can make a significant difference in their day,” he said. “The trust and appreciation from both the students and their parents are truly heartwarming and motivating.”
He explained that having close family members with special needs makes the work even more meaningful to him. “It drives me to do everything I can to be an advocate for these students, ensuring they receive the care and support they deserve,” he said.
Outside of work, he spends his time going to his children’s sporting activities. His oldest daughter plays club soccer, and his son plays baseball, which adds up to a busy weekend. When Perez does have free time, he and his wife enjoy bike riding and participating in local 5-10K charity runs. They are fans of the outdoors and enjoy camping or off-roading.
When Kayla Miller was a young girl, she helped her father while he managed a motorcoach facility. This experience inspired and motivated her to obtain her commercial driver’s license in 2004. Her transportation career started in a work study program at The University of Iowa as a transit driver. She transitioned to the school bus industry in July 2005.
Miller started her career with school bus contractor Durham School Services for almost 10 years, before becoming the area director of safety with National Express for a year. She worked with DS Bus Lines and National America Central School Bus for about five years, before returning to National Express in the same role.
Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.
As of this month, Miller has logged 20 years in the school bus industry. She has served in a variety of roles relating to safety and operations including area director of safety, safety and training supervisor, assistant contract manager, director of safety and training, safety trainer, dispatcher, student management and data coordinator.
Michelle Simon, vice president of safety compliance for National Express, LLC, said Miller provides safety, education and training for the central and west locations, comprised of over 70 locations.
Kayla Miller has served in a variety of student transportation roles since 2005
“Kayla’s first-hand experience as a driver and driver trainer are core competencies that contribute to her success in being able to relate to front-line driver trainers, providing them the support, knowledge and tools to ensure our drivers are proficient in skills prior to driving passengers,” Simon said. “Her can-do attitude, passion for safety and relentless drive for success shows through in her daily interactions with our team.”
Miller said her day-to-day operations consist of overseeing compliance with OSHA, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, U.S. Department of Transportation, and state and district safety regulations to ensure safe pupil transportation services.
Improved Training
Simon added that this past summer, Miller provided training to over 100 school bus driver trainers in her area. “This recertification is instrumental to ensuring our teams have the most proficient drivers transporting students to and from school each day,” Simon added.
Miller noted that some projects she’s prioritized include safety education on accident and injury analysis, investigation, training and prevention programs. She said she developed and instructed a local defensive driver training program for district staff members, as well as successfully instructed transportation personnel on first aid CPR, crisis intervention, student management training, de-escalation strategies and discipline tracking program. Other projects include a collaboration with Johnson County Safe Kids Coalition program as a certified Child Passenger Safety Restraint Technician developing driving safety community event. Miller also lectured at the State of Iowa Department of Education conference on child passenger safety restraint systems and assisted the Department of Education with a school bus ROADEO competition.
Ongoing projects include the recruitment and onboarding development of new transportation management staff and development of monthly safety topics, messaging and training content for National Express.
Her favorite part of the job, Miller said, is “the enthusiasm and excitement from new transportation staff members upon completion of their training.” Going forward she envisions continual collaboration with team members on the safety and training development of transportation staff members.
Kayla Miller says she prioritizes safety when she’s training school bus drivers.
“Kayla is an under-the-radar type of person, does all that she can to help ensure the success of the teams she supports,” Simon wrote. “She doesn’t look for recognition but takes great pride in the results her area obtains – simply one of the best!”
Miller draws inspiration from a quote attributed to John Elliot, Sr., the former Durham CEO who died last December: “I am responsible for the safety of the students that we transport.”
Outside of work, Miller said she enjoys running, golfing and attending football and baseball games. “I am very honored to be selected as a Rising Superstar. Through the years I have seen the positive impact on the students we transport and the communities that we serve,” she added. “I can honestly say that being in the student transportation industry has been one of the most rewarding experiences and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Safety lessons the industry can learn from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Loading & Unloading Survey and illegal school bus passing report to Congress, as well as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse recommendations.
Joshua Wilson, former transportation director, national director of student transportation for Specialized Education Services, and a 2024 STN Rising Star, leverages his expertise in driver training to analyze the school bus driver shortage, alternative transportation, and more.
David Poag has over 15 years of transportation experience in both pupil transportation and mass transportation. He started as a bus driver for Clemson Area Transit while he was attending college at Clemson University in 2008. He was a multiple time ROADEO driving champion which sparked his interest in the field.
In 2011, he transitioned into the pupil transportation space, serving as the operations and routing coordinator for Anderson School District Five in South Carolina. He served in that role for the next two years before moving to Greenville County Schools to serve as the routing and scheduling coordinator. Greenville is reportedly the largest district in South Carolina with nearly 400 bus routes. During this time, he became a certified director of transportation.
Poag moved back to Anderson in 2021 to become the assistant director of transportation. However, in May 2024 he became the director of transportation for Spartanburg School District 6. Poag and his wife Jennifer, reside in Anderson with their three children ages 5, 7, and 9.
Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.
“No two days in transportation are ever alike,” he said of his day-to-day operations. “The hustle and bustle of daily school bus operations is an environment I love. Every day we are challenged with new opportunities and face situations where we are tested in a multitude of ways.”
He noted that being a part of the transportation department that delivers the nation’s precious cargo daily is his favorite part of his job.
“I learn so much from our staff and it’s such a joy to work with folks from many different backgrounds,” he said, adding that Spartanburg drivers consist of career bus drivers/monitors, airline pilots, air traffic controllers, graphic designers, artists, developers, pastors, first responders, coaches, teachers, retired military, moms, dads, grandparents and more. “Those who drive or serve on a school bus bring with them a unique blend of life experiences and I thoroughly enjoy hearing and learning from them.”
David Poag started his career in pupil transportation as a bus driver and now serves as the Director of Transportation at Spartanburg School District 6, South Carolina.
Data Driven
Teena Mitchell, the special needs coordinator at Greenville County Schools, said she had the pleasure of meeting Poag when he became the routing coordinator at Greenville. She said in her nomination of Poag, that while there he initiated several programs and improved some processes.
“He is an expert on using data to improve processes, from providing data to change bell times, to using data to refresh our driver training program,” she wrote. “He was instrumental in updating our technology in transportation; from expanding our digital footprint to live feed in buses to software and radios.”
Poag added that the bell time change resulted in significant improvements with on-time performance for students at the middle and high school level. Mitchell added that he’s very creative in his training ideas, from using video to train drivers and aides to getting the Clemson Tiger Mascot to work with the district on the school bus demonstrating for elementary students how to safely load, unload and safely ride a bus.
While at Anderson district, Poag said he championed a project that increased the district’s licensing rate of driver candidates to 111 percent. “The same project reduced the amount of time it took to license a candidate by 53 percent,” he said. “These results were a direct impact of the decision to streamline our licensing process and hire candidates as full-time employees during their training.”
Mitchell added that the creative hiring campaign at Anderson consisted of using QR codes, billboards, and even wrapped a car to resemble a school bus. “The hiring data showed his ideas were effective,” she said.
She added that Poag is also a National Association of Pupil Transportation instructor for Professional Development Series (PDS) classes as well as a presenter for professional development at conferences. He currently serves on the PDS Committee with NAPT.
Going Forward
One goal for Spartanburg’s transportation department is to implement new school bus routes to ensure the on-time delivery of their 4,000 students. Additionally, the district will be putting nine new buses on the road this school year, with a district-wide service area for Child Development Centers.
An additional goal is opening a new parking depot, which will house 30 to 40 buses. “In the next five years, I see Spartanburg sustaining a full slate of dedicated transportation professionals and providing exceptional service in order to make a difference [to] one student at a time,” Poag added.
Outside of work, Poag enjoys riding the golf cart with his family and going to country singer Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in Pigeon Ford, Tennessee.
Marlene Martin said she often reflects on the Wendy Tremayne quote, “Start even if you don’t know how.” To Martin, it means to be unafraid of the unknown. “Or let fear of making mistakes put you off from ever starting to learn,” she continued. “I love the energy that comes from discovering new skills. One day you will look back and be able to see how far you have come.”
Martin started her career in pupil transportation 18 years ago. When her daughter was attending kindergarten orientation at Greenwood Lake School District, the school bus driver reviewed the rules of the school bus ride and mentioned the need for more school bus drivers.
“With both my daughters officially enrolled in school, I felt excited to embark on the journey to become a school bus driver, as driving is something I have always been passionate about,” Martin said. “As a bonus, I also love kids, so this perfectly blended two of my interests.”
She started as a substitute bus monitor and driver and now 18 years later she’s the head bus driver. She added that her favorite of her job is the children that transportation is able to support and the co-workers that she gets to work with daily.
“We take the time to recognize each other, including monthly birthday celebrations, often with special themes,” she shared. “As part of our [district’s] Sunshine Committee, we also support each other when a co-worker undergoes surgery, loses a family member, or is just having a rough time. It’s so important to support fellow team members.”
Her daily job duties include answering phone calls from families, dispatching drivers and vehicles for daily routes and trips, routing as needed, and driving a route. She noted that she appreciates the opportunities for continues learning.
Ron MacKey, transportation supervisor for the district, wrote in his nomination that Martin was appointed to her current position about three years ago, during which time she also obtained her 19-A Examiner Certification and School Bus Driver Instructor. He said as an SBDI, she conducts New York State Education Department Pre-Service instruction for drivers and monitors and has been a guest instructor at local Board of Cooperative Educational Services hosted basic courses.
As a state-certified school bus driver instructor, Martin helps lead trainings for both drivers and monitors. She also attends professional development seminars annually to ensure compliance and renew her certification.
Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.
“Marlene actively seeks out opportunities to learn more about the transportation industry,” Mackey wrote. “This year, she attended the New York Association of Pupil Transportation conference in July as well as a pre-conference session on active shooters on the school bus.”
Mackey noted that Martin participates in the local NYAPT chapter (the Tri-County Transportation Supervisors Association) and volunteered to be on its scholarship committee. In 2017, she was chosen as “School Bus Driver of the Year” by the Tri-County Transportation Supervisors Association in two counties.
“As her supervisor, I am honored to have the opportunity to teach her about the industry and watch her become more committed and competent as a transportation professional,” Mackey said. “What impresses me most is the ease with which she has transitioned from bus driver to the role of head bus driver. She has made this transition, complete with the additional responsibilities associated with the role, while managing to maintain personal, yet professional relationships with the drivers and monitors in the department. Her friendly disposition is key to her success in dealing with drivers, parents, school administrators and colleagues in the area.”
Marlene Martin is recognized for her commitment to continued learning.
Going Forward
Martin said she looks forward to enhancing to her skills and continuing to learn and expand her knowledge on school transportation. She noted there are a lot of parts to the job that she does not interact with, such as financial management. “In New York, we have an upcoming EV bus mandate, which is going to be a major challenge,” she said, adding that they will need to learn “about electricity as a fuel, infrastructure and financing these changes, all while running a safe and efficient operation.”
Like other districts, Martin said another current challenge they face the shortage of bus drivers, especially substitute drivers. She noted that the issue complicates their efforts to ensure bus routes and trips are staffed.
“This year, we have temporarily displaced families residing outside their district, and it is crucial that we address their needs and ensure timely transportation to school,” she shared. “The calm may come before the storm, but the rebuilding comes afterward. It’s the long-term support after an emergency that’s most challenging.”
Outside of work, Martin enjoys nature, whether that consists of a walk, an early morning yoga class, lounging by the pool with a book, or going camping. Mackey added that Martin has also been a Girl Scout leader, community volunteer with the local food pantry and provides foster care for local animal shelters.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a 190-page report that reviews laws across the U.S. detailing motorist requirements when passing stopped school buses.
State Laws on School Bus Passing was released as a Congress directive to NHTSA as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and researched laws in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This followed results earlier this year from the annual National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) illegal passing survey, which estimated over 43.5 million illegal school bus passes occurred during the 2022-2023 school year, prompting further review of state laws.
“Illegal passings of stopped school buses loading and unloading students in violation of these laws are frequent and can lead to serious pedestrian-involved crashes resulting in injury or death,” the report states.
The findings of the report included variability in state laws regarding illegal passing, different penalties for offenders, challenges in enforcement, as well as best practices and recommendations.
The report also detailed the history of illegal passing related legislation, which dates back 90 years. A section of the Uniform Vehicle Code was added in 1934 that required motorists to slow to “a speed which is reasonable and prudent … and in no event in excess of 10 miles per hour” when passing a stopped school bus. That law was modified several times and resulted in today’s general nationwide requirement across all states that flashing yellow or amber lights signals motorists of an upcoming stop while flashing red lights and an extended stop arm indicate that motorists make a full stop and remain stopped until the red lights cease and the stop arm folds and returns to the side of the bus.
NHTSA stated that recent changes in various state laws about whether motorists should stop for a school bus on the other side of a divided highway can cause issues. “Unfortunately, the lack of clarity and consistency in the presentation of these laws, particularly the provisions related to divided highways and the need to stop for a school bus on school property can be confusing,” the report stated.
Following research of state laws, NHTSA said it found that all U.S. jurisdictions “require a motorist to stop while overtaking from behind a stopped school bus regardless of the road type (undivided or divided).” The differing requirements were in cases where a motorist is approaching the stopped school bus from the front, with 42 states requiring motorists should also stop if approaching from the front on an undivided highway. Some states require a stop only if the undivided highway has a certain number of lanes, which continues to add to the lack of clarity and cohesiveness between states.
The effectiveness of illegal passing laws is discussed in depth in the NHTSA’s Reducing the Illegal Passing of School Buses: Best Practices Guide, which was referenced multiple times in the report. Findings from that guide included permitting citizen reports of violations, although this could lead to inaccurate reporting. Illegal passing incidents can be difficult to track for other reasons, including a lack of police presence in high violation areas, insufficient evidence, and issues with camera placement and operating.
Only 24 states or territories currently allow the use of cameras to enforce illegal passing, and of those 24 there are varying criteria about whether the driver’s face must be identifiable in the violation footage.
“While it is theoretically possible a wide variety of laws in a given state could impact stop-arm camera effectiveness, this study did not identify any documented evidence that other laws (i.e., statutes/legal code outside the VTL (Vehicle Traffic Law) pertaining directly to passing of stopped school buses) were impacting stop-arm camera effectiveness,” stated the report. “As the installation of stop-arm camera systems increases across the country, this situation could change.”
There are also differences regarding if a law enforcement officer must witness the violation, whether in person or via review of video footage. Many states were unclear whether direct law enforcement confirmation was required, while others permitted student transportation professionals or software technicians to witnesses. Only 24 state laws specify that a private citizen such as a school bus driver can be a suitable witness to a violation, resulting in enforcement.
Reiterating the importance of clear and unanimous requirements was the recurring theme of the report. “The lack of clarity in drafting the passing law provisions themselves, further compromises the ability of anyone, particularly the typical motorist, to understand these legal requirements,” NHTSA states.
Penalties for motorists convicted of illegally passing a school bus are also widely variable and are not always mandatory. In some states, the report notes, it is up to judicial distraction if the motorist will be penalized. The penalties can range from fines to misdemeanor charges, community service to driver improvement courses, license suspension to jail time. In some states, the violation could also be escalated to a felony if the incident results in serious injury or death. The report says that 26 jurisdictions have increased fines for illegal passing violations. Again, it was noted that there are specific regulations in each state that vary based on repeat violations, injuries, or worse.
NHTSA provided an individual report on each of the 54 U.S. jurisdictions that outlined what constitutes an illegal passing, how a violation can be reported and enforced and possible penalties for the motorists.
“As with many parts of the legal code, finding ways to standardize language and requirements across States could be beneficial to improve motorist understanding and possibly compliance with laws surrounding illegal passing of stopped school buses,” the report recommends.
The NHTSA guide looked at data from different states and territories, and it found that addressing illegal passing needs to be a “two-pronged” effort which brings together education of drivers, students and motorists along with effective, consistent enforcement of laws.
The NHTSA guide was encouraged as a resource that outlines program ideas to reduce illegal passing incidents, including strategies such as educational programs, high visibility enforcement and frequent, ongoing evaluations & research to find if current practices are “actually effective for reducing illegal passing of stopped school buses and the best methods to implement such programs.”
The 2024 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference in Frisco, Texas featured a full schedule of educational sessions, empowering keynotes, hands-on training, a product demonstration and onsite Ride and Drive event and more! Check out these daily recap videos from the conference.
FRISCO, Texas – The Hands-on School Bus Evacuations for Students with Special Needs & Preschoolers class took place on both Friday and Saturday at Frisco ISD. Instructors included industry veterans and consultants Denny Coughlin and Launi Harden; Aaron Harris, national sales manager for seating manufacturer BESI; and Diandra Neugent, transportation manager for the Community Council of Idaho.
Classroom instruction and quiz time was followed by hands-on practice with fire extinguishers. Fake smoke was used to fill a bus on which were placed hidden dolls representing student riders. Participants braved the smoke to “rescue” the students, with some becoming emotional.
The day opened with special education attorney Betsey Helfrich’s keynote on “Avoiding the Bumps and Legal Hazards” in the transportation of special education students, followed by a general session on preventing sexual abuse during transportation led by Christy Schiller, vice president of consulting at Praesidium, Inc.
More sessions were held on technology usage, driver training, risk management, and transporting medically fragile students. The day closed with a tailgate-themed reception and dinner held on the trade show floor, providing attendees and vendors with a casual and interactive networking event.
FRISCO, Texas — Craig Beaver of Beaverton School District near Portland, Oregon, was awarded the STN Transportation Director of the Year award. Behavior specialist Patrick Mulick presented a morning keynote exploring strategies for helping students with autism bring out the best in themselves every day.
Offsite, the roadeo and training competition and the Hands-on School Bus Evacuations for Students with Special Needs & Preschoolers class took place at Frisco ISD locations.
Sessions continued on topics including positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS), parent communication, school bus Wi-Fi, student transition plans, wheelchair crash test research, the impact of driver and budget shortages, understanding the federally recognized 13 disabilities, and more.
FRISCO, Texas — School transportation professionals at every level can ease the extreme fear and stress that students with autism experience each day and help them reach their full potential by shifting conventional thinking about service delivery.
That was the message from keynote speaker Patrick Mulick to start Saturday’s session at TSD Conference. Accomplishing those goals are part of the transportation department’s duty but will create a tremendous sense of joy and accomplishment said Mulick, who is also the director of student engagement for the Auburn School District in Washington and a board certified behavior analyst.
“We get to be part of their stories. We get to help shape their worlds and help unlock the autism they carry around with them. I feel such joy when I reflect on the faces that I’ve had a change to impact and I look at the work ahead and I look at the faces we have now,” said Mulick who relayed the stories of students that he played has helped over the years. “For you, you have faces, you have names in front of you every single day. What you do for them matters. So, feel that sense of purpose but that sense of responsibility that we need to step up and do what’s right for these kids that not given everything they need for life. These kids need us to be at our best in supporting them. So, continue to go the extra mile for them. They’re certainly worth it.”
Mulick, a popular speaker delivering his fourth keynote address at a TSD Conference, said one reason his remarks focused on autism was due to its rising prevalence. In 1975, one in 5,000 children. “Today, it’s one in 36. This data is four years old and there’s great variance from state to state. California is one in 26,” he stated.
He encouraged his audience to remember that every person with autism is an individual and they should never have a preconceived based on well-known people on the autism spectrum, such as Elon Musk, or someone they personally know. “If you know one person with autism, you know one person with autism. That’s it,” he added. “We need to be careful not to categorize persons with autism.”
Mulick said that he spent the summer of 2000 working with a non-verbal, 4-year-old girl with autism who had behavioral issues related to her disability. Within weeks, she began to speak three-word sentences. Children with autism “know what they want to say but can’t get the words out,” Mulick said.
“There’s a person in there dying to get out but they do not understand the world and the world does not understand them. When she could speak, it gave her autonomy,” he said. “What I was able to do was unlock autism,” he continued.
The experience convinced him that he wanted to devote his life to helping autistic children succeed.
Mulick explained that the education system has broken down numerous barriers to equality over the decades. However, he added, considerable work remains in the realm of services for children with disabilities and special needs.
“For (them), the conversation goes to the kid as the problem,” he said.
Noting that school buses have been redesigned to accommodate students with accessibility challenges, he insists school transportation needs to be rethought and redesigned to better serve children with special needs, including autism.
Mulick cited a quote from psychologist and author Ross W. Greene, “Behaviorally challenging kids are challenging because they’re lacking the skills to not be challenging.”
He added, “When we think of students with autism on our bus, instead of asking, ‘What’s wrong with them?’ We really need to be asking, ‘What are they experiencing and how can we help them?’”
He shared a 12-point strategy to improve the transportation process and everyday life for students with autism:
1. Get out of our silos. School personnel and transportation departments can and should use all appropriate technology tools to communicate proactively and more effectively when problems arise. It is not helpful for drivers to receive a 26-page individualized education program. Instead, drivers need to receive a student transportation plan with the necessary information to help them safely transport students and support positive behavior.
2. Visualize expectations with pictures. Students with autism may miss words but a laminated sheet with pictures of instructions will provide a child with guidance and reassurance day in and day out. Mulick shared the story of a boy with autism who had been hitting himself because of the stress of his daily school bus rides. Individualized instructions for “show safe hands” included a picture of a hand firmly planted on the bus seat. The boy drew an outline of his hand on his usual seat, too. “Yes, that’s graffiti but it’s much better than him hitting himself,” Mulick said.
3. Give voice. “Behavior is communication. If you don’t give your student a voice, then you leave them with no other choice.”
4. Engage. Give children with autism time to process information. Always state their name first and be careful with phrasing.
5. Value the routine. Surprises are scary. “If it is routine, then it is predictable. If it’s predictable, it’s reliable. If it’s reliable then it can be trusted. And if it can be trusted then it’s safe,” he said. For that reason, don’t tell a child on a random day that they have to sit in a different seat.
6. Warn about changes. Let the child with autism know well in advance if the school bus driver is going on vacation or there’s a change of bus number, assigned seat, route or other riders.
7. Get them engaged. The biggest transition and potential anxiety in an autistic child’s day is the ride to and from school. Ensuring they have something to engage with is a source of comfort. “The engaged mind forgets to misbehave.”
8. Be careful with the collaboration at the handoff. Avoid chit chat. If the conversation is about the child, bring them into the conversation. Even if they’re nonverbal, don’t pretend they aren’t there.
9. Be Mindful of unique fears and fixations.
10. Reframe deficits into strengths. Convert lessons into child’s favorite fixation. Mulick shared several effective examples, including creating a “Jedi Tool Kit” that provided a range of de-escalation actions for a child fascinated with “Star Wars.”
11. Use today’s knowledge for today’s challenges. “When we know better, we can do better. There are old ways we need to move away from,” he said. Mulick shared that when he took a job in 2011 there was a 1980s-era cassette tape in his desk. Several in the room gasped when he showed a slide with its title: “Working with Angry, Rage-filled Children.” He noted that the increase in board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) positions – from 780 in 2010 to 65,366 in 2023 – is an example of a new resource that can be accessed.
12. Don’t force it. Forcing a child with autism to do something they don’t want to do will often lead to behavioral outbursts. “If it’s not going to work for the student, it’s not going to work for the student.”)
Mulick offered one final piece of advice: “When you work with kids with autism, you should be learning with them every day.”
The audience listens as Patrick Mulick presents on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. Photo by Vincent Rios Creative.
FRISCO, Texas — Plano Independent School District located just miles from the TSD Conference this weekend claimed the top two spots in the annual roadeo and training competition as Texas continued its dominance of the event.
The team of Andwain Coleman and Mohmed Omera tied coworkers Mohsen Al Asad and Nabila Audi with scores of 889 out of a possible 1,020 points. Alexandra Robinson, the lead coordinator for the roadeo organizer Women in Transportation. (wit.) group and a TSD Conference Tenured Faculty member, said during a banquet Saturday night hosted by lead sponsor Q’Straint/Sure-Lok that the roadeo judges broke the tie by comparing times for finishing the event.
Coleman and Omera clinched the victory as their time was six minutes faster than that of Al Asad and Audi. Robinson said it was the first time in the roadeo’s 30-year history that such a tiebreaker was needed. It was the fourth consecutive win for a Texas team over the dating back to 2019. The competition was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The team of Elizabeth Berninger and Jennifer Gue representing the Washington Association for Pupil Transportation took home third place with a score of 885 points. Ten teams competed at host Frisco ISD in 9 events or stations and also took a written test.
Coleman finished second in last year’s competition and said he partnered with Omera earlier this year after his previous partner was promoted to a different position. It was Coleman’s third consecutive year competing in the event. This was Omera’s second national competition.
When asked about their confidence following the competition, Coleman said, “Ain’t nobody perfect, I know we had some mess ups there, but I know overall we did pretty good.”
Coleman and Omera both have been driving for Plano ISD for the past six school years, with Coleman previously driving a truck for 20 years.
Looking ahead, Coleman and Omera confirmed they plan to compete at the roadeo competition and training next year, as they already won their Texas district competition. The next step is competing in regionals in March.
When discussing the challenges of their Plano ISD school bus routes, Coleman and Omera cited student behavior and other motorists on the road as the biggest daily challenges they face.
FRISCO, Texas – In a proactive move to address growing concerns over incidents of abuse and neglect on school buses, transportation leaders from across the nation gathered for a training seminar focused on building effective programs for school bus attendants and monitors.
The TSD Conference “Best Practices for the Training of School Bus Monitors & Aides” seminar on Friday, led by Launi Schmutz-Harden and Randall Crawford, brought together a room full of transportation professionals eager to learn, problem-solve and share best practices.
“Safety has to be the top priority, and that starts with ensuring our bus attendants have the right training, tools and support to handle any situation that may arise,” said Schmutz-Harden, a TSD Tenured Faculty member who retired after 30 years as a school transportation director in Utah. “We can’t afford to underestimate the abilities of these students or the importance of having qualified, well-trained staff on our buses.”
The training covered a range of critical topics, from understanding the unique needs of students with disabilities to mastering de-escalation techniques and emergency preparedness. Attendees also discussed the challenges of hiring qualified candidates and the importance of ongoing collaboration with human resources, special education departments and other key stakeholders.
“It’s not enough to just provide the bare minimum training,” said Crawford, director of transportation for Clay County Schools in Jacksonville, Florida. “We have to be proactive in equipping our bus attendants with the knowledge and skills to handle the real-world situations they’ll face on a daily basis.”
One key takeaway from the three-hour seminar was the need for hands-on, scenario-based training that allows attendants to practice skills like properly securing students in wheelchairs or responding to behavioral outbursts. Attendees also emphasized the value of learning from past failures and using those experiences to continuously improve their training programs.
Schmutz-Harden and Crawford provided attendees with several real-life scenarios to discuss and problem-solve.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but by sharing our challenges and successes, we can all learn from each other and raise the bar for student transportation safety,” said Harden.
As school districts across the country grapple with staffing shortages and budgetary constraints, the TSD Monitor Training Seminar underscored the critical importance of investing in comprehensive training programs for school bus attendants. With the safety and well-being of students at stake, transportation leaders are committed to making this a top priority.
Schmutz-Harden and Crawford discussed with attendees the challenges of hiring qualified attendants, including physical fitness requirements and communication skills. The discussion covered the importance of comprehensive training covering student behavior management, emergency preparedness, understanding disabilities, the need for collaboration with HR, special education departments, and other stakeholders to develop robust training programs and identifying any gaps or needs, sharing of real-world examples and failures to learn from and improve training, emphasis on ongoing communication, monitoring, and continuous improvement of training efforts.
The session also discussed the legal and compliance requirements for training monitors, including CPR and first aid certification. The attendees shared their experiences with training requirements and the challenges of finding time to conduct training.
Harden-Schmutz and Crawford emphasized the importance of meeting legal requirements and the potential financial implications of not doing so. The group discussed the need for better training on legal requirements and the importance of ongoing training and support for monitors. This, they concluded, should include a process of conducting ride checks, either in person or using video monitoring to ensure protocols are being followed.
“Checks and balances –if you don’t have that, put it in place because you can find those actionable items that are there,” Crawford added.
The main action items for attendees at the conclusion of the seminar were to evaluate their current practices, advocate for increased training resources, and explore partnerships to enhance their bus attendant training programs.
Randall Crawford speaks during the TSD Conference monitor and aide training seminar on Nov. 8, 2024. Photo by Vincent Rios Creative.
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