CONCORD, N.C. — According to a 2023 study by the U.S. Justice Department and Education Department, 22 percent of K-12 students were involved in a physical fight and 13 percent of students carried a weapon to school. More school shooters are also getting to school via the school bus.

Seven percent of students were threatened with a weapon and 5 percent of students are afraid of being attacked, the study found.

Over the past five to six years, Bret Brooks, the chief operating officer and senior consultant of Gray Ram Tactical, noted that school violence is trending up, due in part to COVID-19. Because of this increase, he said during his March 21 opening general session presentation at STN EXPO East, schools “should emphasize intervention techniques to address underlying causes of student violence.”

He stressed the need for a broad set of tools to be tailored to each school and that all staff should undergo training provided by quality and professional trainers.

Breaking Down the Seven Triggers:

 

Family: When you threaten family, one could naturally respond violently, said Brooks. This response includes extended family and even a community or nation.

 

Order: Brooks said this refers to the social order of things, such as when someone cuts in line.

 

Restraint: This is the feeling of being held back or stopped. As a law enforcement professional, Brooks said the most dangerous time when apprehending a suspect is the moment handcuffs are about to put on.

 

Resources: Food and water are among basic human necessities.

 

Mate: Similar to family but a separate trigger, according to Brooks. When someone takes a spouse, the response is usually very violent, he said.

 

Insults: Intentional or unintentional.

 

Life or Limb: Danger to one’s livelihood or that of a bystander. This is why there are self-defense laws, Brooks noted.

Brooks broke down the influence and triggers of violence to stop the acts from occurring and how to de-escalate incidents with students. He explained that anyone can respond violently in certain situations situation. He noted the example of an abduction of a child.

Brooks noted that violence is a biological process that occurs in the brain. How to mentally deal with a situation differs from person to person. Violence is a response to stress, fear and losing control or feeling mistreated. It is a fiery rage as a response mechanism.

He explained that school-aged children are experiencing greater underlying stressors today compared to years past due to factors such as online bullying, social networks and the pressure to be as “good” as Mom or Dad.

Brooks said if any of the seven triggers (see sidebar) are felt, the more triggers felt at once will determine how violent one will be become. “Underlying stress compounds the emotional stress and even more increases the likelihood the person will lash out,” he said, adding that underlying stress can be the death of a pet, a sick loved one, etc.

Violence in Children

Brooks noted that students are being exposed to more violence. “[By] 18 years old, the average American child will have seen 16,000 murders and 200,000 acts of violence depicted in violent movies, television and video games.” he shared.

Video games often offer rewards for killing other players, and desensitize players to real-life violence, he explained.

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Related: Texas Student Struck and Killed by School Bus
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Video games like virtual reality, he added, provide controllers that require the user to mimic the actions of using certain weapons, i.e., learning how to stab, slash and shoot.

He added that society has lost the causal relationship to justifiable violence, noting that when ordering chicken nuggets, for example, no one is thinking of someone killing the chicken to make the meal.

Moving Forward

Brooks said students riding the school bus who feel confined or uncomfortable, hot, unable to use Wi-Fi or listen to music can be prone to violent outbursts. He advised attendees to keep this in mind amid school bus driver shortages and increased numbers of students per bus and route.

He said violence is never going to end, especially without social changes. The trend of more deaths will continue.

“It is imperative we can identify warning signs ahead of time and then mitigate or avoid violence,” Brooks said, adding that school districts should implement a layered system of protection.

He underscored the importance of proper training and how critical it is for school bus drivers to be trained on indicators of violence, de-escalation techniques, concealed weapon identification, active shooter/intruder/hijacking response, and medical response.

The post Security Expert Discusses How to Understand Violent Triggers at STN EXPO East appeared first on School Transportation News.

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For more than 25 years, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office has closely guarded its list of law enforcement officers who have been accused of dishonesty, bias or crimes. In September, after pressure from defense attorneys and media organizations, the office released the full list for the first time.

This compilation of officers, known as the “Brady list” because of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, is meant to help ensure that defendants get a fair trial.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Ashley Luthern, TMJ4 News reporter Ben Jordan and Wisconsin Watch reporter Mario Koran spent five months tracking down information about the officers on the list through court documents, internal police records and past media coverage. 

The list contained scant and sometimes inaccurate information, making it difficult for reporters to ascertain why officers were placed on the list and when.

Reporters combed through all 218 entries involving 192 officers, requesting hundreds of pages of records from court cases, internal investigations, and employment records to verify why officers had been added. Reporters also dug up archived stories and past media coverage of some officers on the list.

They then categorized each entry on the list based on the type of alleged misconduct: excessive force, alcohol-related offenses, domestic violence, sex crimes and direct integrity or misconduct. For example, allegations about drunken driving were categorized as alcohol-related offenses. Cases involving lying about overtime or failing to properly investigate a reported crime were categorized as integrity or misconduct issues.

In order to verify how many remain employed as law enforcement officers with the same agencies, reporters had to consult several sources. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office and Milwaukee Police Department confirmed those who remain employed with them.

But reporters were unable to determine how many officers are employed at other law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin because the state Department of Justice will not release its statewide list of all certified law enforcement officers. Reporters instead used the state agency’s list of flagged officers — those who were terminated, resigned in lieu of termination, or resigned prior to completion of an internal investigation — to determine at least four officers remain employed at agencies throughout the state.

The analysis found multiple errors with the database, including officers who were listed with the wrong agency or incorrectly described as being involved in an in-custody death. At least five officers on the list were deceased.

After reporters raised the inaccuracies on the list with Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern, his office released a new version of the list in late February with several revisions, including the addition of one officer who Lovern admitted should have been placed on the list years earlier but had been overlooked.

Lovern told reporters the list is complete to the best of his knowledge and that it always is subject to change with new information.

How we investigated Milwaukee County’s once-secret Brady list is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Milwaukee officials are pushing state lawmakers to create a statewide bonus incentive program to bring more police officers to Wisconsin.

The post Milwaukee lobbying for statewide bonus program to bring more police officers to Wisconsin appeared first on WPR.

A school bus is approaching a school bus stop and the driver notices law enforcement personnel mingling with the waiting children. Upon the school bus doors opening, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents ask to enter because there might be some undocumented students on board. Maybe the agents want to ask some of the students about their family members.

While such a scenario has yet to occur, many people fear it could. In areas with significant migrant communities, children and parents are fearful of becoming separated because of an ICE raid.

In Florida, a state with many undocumented immigrants, school superintendents and their legal staffs have issued statements on how their personnel including school bus drivers should respond to potential ICE raids or federal law enforcement visits to their campuses and buses. Their children are attending schools, and they have a right to a public-school education, ruled the U.S. Supreme Court in Plyler v. Doe.

On Feb. 26, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a Task Force Model to encourage street-level immigration enforcement. This will give local law enforcement agencies the ability to enforce limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during their regular work. All 67 Florida counties have entered into agreements with federal authorities so they can engage in street level enforcement.

A memo sent by Broward Schools Superintendent Howard Hepburn to all campus principals noted the anxiety regarding the current immigration situation. He said current developments are being monitored for their implications for schools and communities. The district will provide updated guidance and additional information as it becomes available.

Hepburn added that immigration-related issues can create uncertainty and anxiety among students, families and staff. He encouraged school leaders to continue providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all students.

Since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, all public schools and most private schools have taken security to a much higher level. Anyone —including the governor or a U.S. president — who wants to visit any campus within the Broward County School District must pass a thorough two- or three-layer security check before entering a building. This is even true for all athletic and music performance events.

An ICE agent could also not enter any school building or ball field without permission from an administrator and would have to show their ID before entering a school facility.

Still, students and teachers have been instructed by Broward County school officials that they do not have to answer any questions from an ICE or federal law enforcement agent. They have all been instructed on their rights regarding any interaction with a federal agent.

Also, all school personnel including bus drivers or bus attendants have been told to contact their school district’s legal department if approached by an ICE agent. The position of school leadership is not to violate the law but to not cooperate with ICE agents, according to a statement from Broward Schools.

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Related: District Responds to Parents Fears About Immigration Raids on School Buses
Related: School Districts Seek Student Protections from Immigration Enforcement
Related: No Attempt to Illegally Board School Buses Near Mexico Border, Sheriff Says

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Teachers’ unions are also looking for ways to fight immigration actions. During a joint press conference on Feb. 6, the United Teachers of Dade and the Broward Teachers Union said teachers, students and parents are afraid and uncomfortable about the possibility of federal raids. Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union, said she is opposed to any ICE enforcement at previous sensitive areas and said schools must be safe places for students.

Karla Hernandez-Mats, president of the United Teachers for Dade, said that any person who enters a school campus or school bus must have a warrant signed by a judge and that school district attorneys will review the warrant. She said she believes a final decision will be made by the school district’s superintendent and that no raids have taken place on school property or buses.

While ICE agents may not be targeting schools and children directly, a growing number of students who have undocumented family members have said they are anxious that they or a family member could be detained and deported, explained Fusco

Meanwhile, the Palm Beach County School District issued a statement that said it remains dedicated to the mission of educating and inspiring students to reach their full potential. The statement continued that the district adheres to strict protocols for all campus visitors and complies with all relevant state and federal laws and regulations. The district will monitor any federal or state policy changes that impact schools.

A statement issued by the Monroe County District said the district will follow the law. However, it has policies in place to make any interactions with students by outside agencies least disruptive to schools.

The post Florida School Districts on Edge About Possible School Bus Immigration Raids  appeared first on School Transportation News.

Three students died from injuries caused by motorists who illegally passed a school bus during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the National School Bus Loading and Unloading Survey conducted by the Kansas State Department of Education. Meanwhile, the annual National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) illegal passing survey estimated over 43.5 million illegal school bus passes occurred during the 2022-2023 school year.

These findings highlight the constant safety issue of drivers who do not honor the school bus stop arm thus putting the lives of students at risk.

“This is not just a traffic violation. It is a matter of life and death,” said Lori Jetha, vice president of marketing for Safe Fleet, a manufacturer of stop arms, cameras and illegal passing warning systems.

Federal government steps to address this issue include analysis of state laws regarding illegal passing and various legislation on the use of stop-arm cameras to prosecute violators. Student transporters are reconsidering routes that require students to cross the street to board or exit their bus and emphasizing training of school bus drivers as well as students on proper loading and unloading.

It is also vitally important to equip districts with the technology and training they need to be proactive about this incredibly important safety issue. “Everyone on the road is responsible for the safety of others, yet there is a rise of illegal school bus passings across North America that put school aged children’s lives at risk every day,” said Brett Kuchiak, the specifications and compliance manager for First Light Safety Products, which manufacturers school bus illumination systems.

He continued that it is crucial to “implement changes on our end that can positively change a driver’s behavior.” Jetha shared how Osceola County School District in Florida is utilizing Safe Fleet’s Stop Arm Violation Enforcement System (SAVES) system that was launched last June. It provides a three-step approach, the first being illuminated stop arms and LED driver alerts to improve visibility. Step two uses radar, predictive analytics and AI-enhanced software to provide an audible warning to students if a motorist will illegally pass the bus. Finally, the SAVES system also “automatically captures and processes stop-arm violations to aid in issuing citations and deter future incidents.”

Randy Wheeler, the assistant transportation director at Osceola, added that the system helps modify motorist behavior, with the goal of improving student safety. “With the SAVES system installed on just three buses since December, we’ve detected over 500 violations. That’s terrifying to us as school bus operators,” he said.

Joshua Hinerman, the director of transportation for Robertson County Schools in Tennessee, confirmed the high numbers of illegal passing incidents. He noted his district has recorded 767 stop-arm violations in the 2023-2024 school year. He continued that the district has had 880 reported stop-arm violations in just the first semester of the current school year, which he attributes to driver training that allows them to electronically report illegal passing incidents using onboard bus tablets. He explained that these tablets allow drivers to record their bus number, location and time of the incident with a press of a button which allows for data collection that can be provided to law enforcement when looking for areas of repeated illegal passing violations.

Technology plays a significant role in aiding student safety and providing a quick way to track and report illegal passing. John Legus, director of transportation at Berrien Springs Public Schools in Michigan, discussed the benefits of stop-arm cameras. “The drivers main focus should always be on the location of the kids while making a school bus stop,” he said. “Our stop-arm cameras allow us to go back and get the license plate and other pertinent information when the bus returns to the lot.”

Arby Creach, the recently retired director of transportation director at Osceola County, recalled video footage that showed a student jumping back as a vehicle sped past the stop arm at 65 mph in a 25 mph zone.

“Even now, thinking about it sends chills down my spine. It’s a serious undertaking, protecting these kids, and we need to consider every viable option to help ensure their safety,” Creach said.

Although a stop arm is already an indicator that motorists must stop, many districts have found success implementing lighted stop arms equipped with flashing lights. “Anything that will snap the drivers out of their distractions and draw attention to the stopped school bus is worth looking at and implementing where appropriate,” said Don Paul, transportation supervisor for Washington Township Schools in New Jersey. “In areas where we have implemented the First Light Stop Arms, we have seen a drastic reduction in illegal passing.”

Legus noted that the illuminated signage at his district, also provided by First Light, “clearly indicate that a motorist is approaching a school bus and not a dump truck.” He added that the buses are also equipped with an LED light system that activates when the exterior door is opened on the passenger and drivers’ side of the bus, as well as overhead strobing lights, both of which draw attention to students exiting or entering the bus.

David Bowman, transportation director at Lakeland School Corporation in Indiana, explained how different technology offerings can work together to further student safety. “Our stop-arm cameras are excellent in capturing people who pass our stopped bus. However, they are reactive,” said Bowman. “First Light’s Illuminated School Bus Signs and LED warning lights are all proactive in helping motorists realize it’s a school bus and to stop”.

Kuchiak discussed First Light’s published Stop Arm Efficacy Pilot Study and how “building on top of that model to collect additional data points from more sources, we are able to prove the positive effects improving conspicuity has on decreasing illegal passing of the school bus.”

He shared that the median decrease of illegal passings because of enhanced school bus illumination is 64 percent, with an almost 90 percent decrease in infractions during low-light hours. “It is clear that increasing the visibility of the school bus, and the action required by the motorists on the road [to stop] that we have found part of the solution needed to get to our goal of zero violations, zero accidents and zero fatalities,” he added.

Alfredo Escalera, fleet supervisor at Seminole County Public Schools in Florida, another user of the Safe Fleet illegal passing technology, said people are going to see these added safety features and question why the technology wasn’t available years ago.

“It’s going to be a no-brainer at that point,” he said. “The systems would be life savers. It only makes sense to have these safety features on-board.”

Training also plays a large role. At Berrien’s transportation operations, Legus said that training is continuous and includes monthly reviews to discuss transportation related events and a weekly newsletter that drivers can use in everyday work with the students. Paul said his district also provides training material to the drivers and that students (up to fifth grade) are given annual training in Danger Zone and school bus safety.

Tennessee’s Hinerman shared specific driver training protocols from his operations. “When the driver makes the stop, they are taught to look and make sure all vehicles have come to a stop before making eye contact with the student and motioning the student to cross, during that time the driver should be constantly keeping their eye moving and looking for danger/ hazards.”

He also noted that drivers are trained to use a designated hand signal to indicate to students that it is safe to cross, i.e. a thumbs up. “Do not use waving their hand for the signal,” he advised, “as car drivers might [think drivers] mean they are waving their vehicle pass.”

Staying in a vigilant state of mind when on the road is crucial for drivers and students, he explained. “For drivers it reminds us to be constantly looking before coming to a stop and never assume that the other vehicle is going to stop. For students this could mean serious injury and/or death and students must always be aware of their bus stop and making sure they look both ways and make eye contact with the bus driver before crossing.

Robertson County Schools has experienced multiple instances of a student being hit by a passing motorist in the past few years, with each case resulting in minor injuries to the student, said Hinerman.

“There is no explanation for the utter feeling of horror when you hear a [school bus] driver come over the radio stating a student has been struck by a car,” he noted. “We respond calmly and quickly to the situation. While at the scene we do our best to be a comfort to the parents who have often times witnessed such a tragic event.

Awareness from school districts, news coverage of illegal passing incidents, and community outreach are all tools to bring attention to this safety concern. Paul noted that community education on Danger Zone safety is done through the New Jersey State Police and local law enforcement. He noted online resources such as schoolbusfacts.com, which he said districts should utilize.

Legus pointed to an episode of his district’s podcast series, “ShamrockED,” which is hosted by Berrien Springs Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Bruce. Bruce spoke with Legus as well as one of the districts’ school bus drivers about safety issues specific to student transportation. Educational outreach opportunities such as this are examples of how districts can highlight school bus safety concerns, giving a voice to student transportation professionals and broadcast it to the wider community.

Legus also said four signs that read, “All lanes must stop for school bus with flashing red lights” have been placed at strategic areas. Reported illegal passing incidents for his fleet of 26 buses reduced from 170 in the 2022-2023 school year to 146 in 2023-2024, with 30 currently reported for the 2024-2025 year. Two of the signs were posted in 2023 and the other two in 2024.

Even when illegal passing incidents don’t result in death or injury, it doesn’t mean it that they don’t have consequences. “The potential for fatal consequences is off the charts,” Paul said. Legus shared how illegal passing can have long-term psychological and
emotional effects. “Stop-arm violations are both emotional and traumatic to our transportation staff and students,” he said. “Drivers put a lot of care and compassion into their profession. Our drivers tend to view the kids as their own and protect them as such.”

Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the February 2025 issue of School Transportation News.

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Related: Ohio Bill Seeks School Bus Illegal Passing Fine Increase, Safety Fund
Related: Florida Students Hit, Two Killed During School Bus Stop Walks
Related: (STN Podcast E244) In the People Business: Underscoring & Improving School Bus Safety

The post Combatting Illegal Passing with Awareness, Technology appeared first on School Transportation News.

With the Trump administration set to take the Oval Office next week, school districts nationwide are bracing for the possibility of immigration raids targeting students at school bus stops and at school sites.

Education Week reported in December that school district officials are contemplating whether immigration agents will carry out arrests at schools and how they should respond. While reports indicate Tom Homan, named by President-elect Donald Trump to become his border czar, is focusing on undocumented immigrants posing a public safety threat, it is unclear how his response will unfold and how many students could be affected.

Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, noted that the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyer v. Doe indicated “every child has the right to go to public school free of charge from kindergarten through 12th grade regardless of status.

“We interpret that as meaning unfettered access to school,” Saenz continued. “So, raids on school campuses are unconstitutional under that decision and should not occur. No enforcement action should occur on school grounds, because it interferes with the school experience of students based on their immigration status.”

The same should apply to school bus stops, he added.

“They should not be the place for any enforcement action nor should school buses themselves be the place for any enforcement action because that is an interference with the Constitutional right to attend school guaranteed by that Plyer decision,” he argued. “Despite the possibility that the new administration may eliminate the sensitive location memo, there would still be a Constitutional constraint on the ability to conduct immigration enforcement action in those settings that are directly related to school access.”

Saenz is referring to a 2021 U.S. Department of Homeland Security memo, Guidelines for Enforcement Actions in or Near Protected Areas, that lists schools and school bus stops as protected areas from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforcement.

“Our advice would be to any principal and superintendent that because of that Constitutional right, they are absolutely within their rights and indeed may be obligated to bar access to campuses absent a judicial warrant of some kind and a judicial warrant should be resisted because of that Constitutional right for kids to attend school regardless of their immigration status,” said Saenz.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration recently issued extensions of Temporary Protected Status to hundreds of thousands of people from Sudan, Ukraine and Venezuela. This allows immigrants to remain in the country with work permits and provides a shield from deportation for another 18 months from the expiration of their current protection in the spring.

The move was designed as a roadblock to President-elect Trump’s ability to swiftly strip the benefit upon taking office on Monday.

A New York Times article outlines other efforts now underway to address what may come. New York City school staff members have been instructed to ask immigration agents arriving at a public school to wait outside while they contact a school district lawyer. Since 2022, the school system has enrolled about 40,000 students who are immigrants.

Mount Diablo Unified School District northeast of San Francisco, California, is a case in point where parents anxious about deportation may be reticent to send their children to school, noted Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark.

The conservative think tank Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 noted that “all ICE memoranda identifying ‘sensitive zones’ where ICE personnel are prohibited from operating should be rescinded. Rely on the good judgment of officers in the field to avoid inappropriate situations.”

Project 2025 called upon states to “pass legislation that requires public schools to charge tuition for unaccompanied migrant children as well as children who are in the U.S. with their illegal-alien parents.

“Such legislation would draw a lawsuit from the Left, which would likely lead the [U.S.] Supreme Court to reconsider its ill-considered Plyler v. Doe decision that had no basis in law,” Project 2025 continued. “This reconsideration is warranted because the large number of unaccompanied alien children and mass illegal migration have significantly changed circumstances for states and localities.”

As reported on Dec. 11 by NBC News, the incoming Trump administration intends to rescind the Department of Homeland Security policy that has prevented ICE agents from arresting undocumented people at or near so-called sensitive locations as soon as the first day he is in office in what he has said he wants to be the “largest deportation operation in American history.”

Educators Seek Guidance

Education Week reported that to address uncertainties in ICE enforcement procedures, experts are suggesting schools should be proactive in educating staff about school policies on ICE interactions and in reminding families of their rights.

When contacted, some school districts expressed a reluctance to respond to questions from School Transportation News on this topic. One of those was California’s Oakland Unified School District was one of the declining contacts.

Denver Public Schools “has not been directly involved in the establishment of any sanctuary or safe zones for students” and “does not collect immigration status on any of our students,” noted Scott Pribble, the district’s director of external communications.

Pribble echoed the observation of others that the DHS’ lists marked or known school bus stops as protected areas in addition to the physical school site.

The National Association of School Resource Officers has not developed any guidance on the immigration issue, noted spokesperson Jay Farlow.

In preparing for potential ICE impacts, school district measures may include creating safe zone resolutions protecting students from immigration enforcement on school grounds and training staff including school bus drivers on how to respond if ICE appears at a school or bus stop, including understanding the students’ rights under state and federal law.

Protecting student privacy and providing resources to families — including emotional and psychological support — is another potential measure as well as collaboration with local governments for support and engaging in advocacy.

In November, Los Angeles television station KABC reported that Los Angeles schools reaffirmed their stance to protect students and their families regardless of citizenship status, with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) school board unanimously reaffirming its commitment to being a sanctuary district.

Since 2017, LAUSD has had a policy of refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement actions, including sharing information about the immigration status of students and their families, the station reported.

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvahlo indicated one concern is splitting families apart, where a student may be a natural-born citizen, but a parent is not. He said he has been working on a plan that includes training in multiple languages for school staff.

The Migration Policy Institute indicates some 5.5 million children, representing about 7 percent of the U.S. child population, lived with an unauthorized immigrant parent in 2019. Of those children, 726,000, or 13 percent are themselves unauthorized.

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Related: What Happens When the School Bus Stop is a Crime Scene?

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In mid-December, the California Department of Education announced State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond is sponsoring Senate Bill 48, legislation that aims to keep ICE agents off California campuses by establishing a one-mile radius safe zone around schools, as well as protect against the use of school data for deportation efforts.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez (D-33) on Dec. 16, would prevent schools from experiencing a drop-off in student attendance due to immigration concerns, which would directly and negatively impact critical funding.

The bill also doubles down on the commitment by the California Department of Education to safeguard students and families, maintaining schools as spaces where everyone has the right to an education.

In early December, California Attorney General Rob Bonta released guidance and model policies to assist California’s K-12 Schools in responding to immigration issues. For example, the guidance notes that schools are not compelled to provide ICE agents with access to student records if they only have an administrative warrant as opposed to a warrant signed by a judge nor should schools release private student information without parental consent as per federal law.

The guide includes model policies school districts could adopt.

In mid-December, Wendy Cervantes, director of immigration and immigrant families at the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), released a statement that “any plan to rescind the protected areas policy is just part of a wider effort to instill fear in immigrant communities and deter parents from taking their child to the hospital or dropping them off at childcare or school.

“We witnessed how immigration enforcement efforts under the first Trump administration impacted participation in early childhood programs and deterred parents from accessing lifesaving services, creating stress for families, care providers, and entire communities,” she said. “The principles behind the protected areas policy are rooted in the recognition that immigration enforcement does not have to come at the cost of the health and well-being of children, including U.S. citizen children in mixed-status families.”

“With or without a formal DHS policy, we stand ready to ensure that families and care providers are informed about their rights and that families are able to meet their basic needs. We will not allow fear to stand in the way of human dignity.”

CLASP offers a guide to creating safe space policy for early childhood programs.

ImmSchools, a Texas nonprofit partnering with schools throughout the U.S. in creating a welcoming environment for immigrant students and families, concurred with others that districts should establish their own policies addressing responses to immigration enforcement.

The organization also offers school districts training for educators so they can best understand immigration laws and policies, so families know their rights.

The post School Districts Seek Student Protections from Immigration Enforcement appeared first on School Transportation News.

A Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools bus was hit with gunfire, reported WCNC Charlotte.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department released a statement saying that the gunfire came from a drug-related dispute that occurred outside the school bus on Monday. The bus was not the intended target, police added. Two students from Albemarle Middle School were injured from glass broken by the gunfire, according to the police statement.

Police arrested 21-year-old Lamarius Ramel Anthony, who is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and felony possession of cocaine.

Local security guard Eyersol Belbuel was reportedly nearby when the shooting occurred and assisted the school bus driver in safely evacuating all the students.

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Related: Teen Charged in Pennsylvania School Bus Shooting, 3 Others Wanted
Related: Texas Student Fires Gun on School Bus
Related: Arizona Student Found with Gun on School Bus

The post North Carolina Students Injured After Gunshots Fired Outside School Bus appeared first on School Transportation News.

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.”

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