Student support was the name of the game in a Thursday webinar featuring two leaders with copious transportation director experience.

Viewing Transportation Through an Attendance Lens

Greg Jackson served as the executive director of transportation and fleet services for Jefferson County School District in Colorado for a decade and was named the 2019 Transportation Director of the Year by School Transportation News.

In his current role as general manager of busing services for webinar sponsor EverDriven, he reviewed trends in jobs, housing and family schedules that have resulted in districts becoming more focused on consistent transportation for student access to education.

“Consistency builds routine and routine builds attendance,” he said.

Transportation departments are also expected to be more flexible with fewer resources these days, pointed out Jim Ellis, director of pupil transportation for Virginia’s Henrico County Public Schools and a past-president of the North Carolina Pupil Transportation Association. He reminded listeners that reliability matters, but rolling with the punches is also non-negotiable.

Ellis agreed that transportation stability is especially important for medically fragile students and those who qualify under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Involving Transportation Earlier in Student-Level Decisions

Jackson noted that longstanding processes may overlook or exclude transportation staff from key conversations, so directors must step up to secure a seat at the table and be a part of the decision-making process. He encouraged transportation directors to see themselves as the administrators they are.

When it comes to multi-modal solutions, Ellis concurred with Courtney Pallotta, EverDriven’s chief marketing officer, that it’s important to take the time to create the right solution for each particular student.

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Strengthening Governance & Cross-Team Communication

Disconnect often occurs when different departments act on their own timelines or pertinent details are left out of notifications, Jackson said. Having aligned teams means less escalation to the superintendent and more focus on students rather than communication snafus, he explained.

“There’s so much in this life where the challenge is in the detail,” Pallotta agreed. “You cannot be clear enough about who’s doing what, especially in busy teams where volatility and change are the norm.”

Ellis added, “If we don’t get together on who manages what, we’re going to be chasing our tails.”

He advised having clear assignments on each aspect of a child’s school experience so transportation can be made available and utilized appropriately. This is especially important when contractors are involved, he added.

Putting It All into Practice

Simply adding a new technology system, that multiple staff members will need to be trained on, isn’t always the answer, Jackson warned. Instead, he said, improving small habits results in significant progress.

Budget constraints, Ellis stressed, must be communicated so all involved parties know what resources are available and what solutions are realistic. It’s not helpful when the IEP, McKinney-Vento and transportation teams are siloed. He further noted that being fully staffed with drivers means not having much wiggle room in the budget.

Alignment among all departments results in less chaos and a better experience for the families the school district serves, Jackson underscored.

Ellis encouraged the audience to look at transportation as more than a ride to school and as a crucial part of the education process. “Our families want transportation they can count on,” he summarized.

Jackson and Pallotta noted that EverDriven as a transportation network company looks to assist districts with reducing absenteeism and securing Medicaid reimbursement.

Watch the webinar on demand. 

The post Webinar Gives Student-Centric Transportation Strategies to Reduce Absenteeism appeared first on School Transportation News.

Chronic absenteeism remains a significant challenge for school districts, even as student transportation needs continue to grow more complex. Changes in student mobility, specialized services, workforce limitations, and ongoing budget pressures have made transportation planning increasingly difficult, affecting even districts with mature, well-functioning bus systems.

In this session, transportation expert Greg Jackson and a district practitioner will discuss three student-centered transportation strategies districts are using to help support consistent attendance in a rapidly shifting landscape. Drawing from real district experiences, the conversation will highlight how transportation teams and district leaders are responding to new demands, collaborating across departments, and making intentional tradeoffs to preserve both student access and operational stability.

Three Key Strategies

• Viewing Transportation Through an Attendance Lens
  How districts are connecting reliability and on-time service to student attendance, and identifying where transportation decisions may unintentionally contribute to chronic absenteeism.
• Engaging Earlier in the Process
  Why districts are reconsidering when and how transportation teams participate in IEP planning, placement changes, and housing transitions, and the downstream impact when that engagement happens too late.
• Strengthening Governance and Communication
  How clearer leadership alignment, stronger documentation, and more effective cross-team communication are helping districts manage frequent student changes while minimizing delays and compliance risk.

Brought to you by EverDriven

REGISTER BELOW:

Speakers:

Greg Jackson
General Manager, Busing
EverDriven

Greg Jackson served as the executive director of transportation and fleet services for Jefferson County School District in Colorado for a decade. One of the largest districts in the state, Jackson oversaw 750 vehicles, 257 bus routes, 305 drivers, and four bus terminals, ensuring that nearly 14,000 students were safely transported to and from school and activities. The district benefited from Jackson’s charismatic leadership style and ability to build relationships with stakeholders, families, and vendors.

Prior to this position, he served as a transportation director, terminal manager, supervisor, and fleet coordinator across multiple districts and companies, providing him with unique insight into all facets of transportation. His experience includes knowledge about legislation and law concerning student safety, budgetary requirements, and best practices.

Jim Ellis
Director of Pupil Transportation
Henrico County Public Schools

Jim Ellis is a respected leader in pupil transportation with more than three decades of experience in public education operations. A NAPT-certified Director of Pupil Transportation since 2008, Ellis has served in key leadership roles across Virginia and North Carolina, including President of the North Carolina Pupil Transportation Association. Since 2020, Ellis has served as Director of Pupil Transportation for Henrico County Public Schools, where he has led operational improvements, safety enhancements, and innovative practices to better serve students and families.

The post (Free Webinar) 3 Student-Centric Transportation Strategies to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism appeared first on School Transportation News.

The connection between student attendance and transportation is more direct and critical than often acknowledged. While a complex array of factors drives chronic absenteeism — one of the most critical threats to K–12 success — a fundamental and frequently overlooked root cause is the failure of existing transportation mechanisms to reliably connect all students to the classroom.

The student attendance crisis is not just an academic problem; it is a systemic challenge that directly impacts federal and state funding, staffing efficiency, and district stability, making the need for reliable transportation attendance imperative.

This white paper outlines a strategic, data-driven approach for district administrators to move beyond reliance on the yellow school bus alone.

Fill out the form below and then check your email for the white paper download link.

The post (Free White Paper) Boosting K-12 Attendance With Innovative Transportation Solutions appeared first on School Transportation News.