1. 2009 FAPT Summer Conference
The Changing Face of
Florida Department of Education
School Transportation Monitoring

2. School Transportation Monitoring
Section , F.S., states: “The State Board of Education shall oversee the performance of district school boards and public postsecondary educational institution boards in enforcement of all laws and rules.”
With this authorization, the Department of Education (DOE) monitors each local school district’s transportation program for safety compliance on a four-year rotating schedule.

3. Revised Criteria School Bus Evacuation Drills School Bus Loading Zones
School Bus Operator Licensure and Qualifications
School Bus Inspection Records
Special Needs Transportation
Required Policies / Procedures:
Reduced idling, operator cell phone use, safe driver plan, and safe rider instruction.

4. Revised Criteria School bus physical inspections have been dropped.
District Policy and Procedures: (added)
Documentation verified that district has developed and implemented policy and procedures for school bus operator cell phone use, school bus engine idling, student safe rider instruction plan, and school bus operator safe driver plan. .

5. Charter Schools – No Changes
Excerpt: Charter Schools Transportation Resource Guide
“District sponsors have a duty, in turn, to monitor charter schools (Section (5)(b), F.S.), which includes assessing the compliance of charter schools with requirements relating to student transportation safety (Section (16)(a), F.S.). The charter agreement must include plans to ensure the safety of students and staff (Section (7)(a)11, F.S.).”

6. Charter Schools
The districts’ self-evaluation process will still include charter school monitoring requirements equal to requirements on the district.
This applies to any charter school providing transportation on school buses, either owned or contracted.

7. New Self-evaluation Time Line
Districts scheduled for monitoring during the year will have the second semester of the school year to complete the self-evaluation.

8. Self-evaluation Training
The webinar based monitoring training that was postponed earlier this year will resume during the last week of January, 2010.
The due date for the self-evaluation is June 25, 2010.
Applicable school districts will be notified in advance by .

9. Monitoring Coordinator
Questions ?
Bud Fletcher
Monitoring Coordinator
(850)
All DOE School Transportation Management staff can help with monitoring questions.