I’ve given presentations at a number of conferences this summer, in all parts of the country. Concern about transportation professionals’ relationship with immediate supervisors, superintendents, and boards of education is a common theme of questions and comments I’ve heard. It seems you’re being asked to make exceptions to policy, move bus stops to appease an individual powerful – or persistent – parent, and, generally, to operate in an atmosphere in which you feel a lack of support. School transportation professionals need to “do” rather than be “done to.” I strongly recommend you take initiative to do the following:
- Determine specific safety risks inherent in exceptions you’re asked to make
- Identify real costs when changes are made
- Anticipate unintended consequences of budget cuts
- Be constant learners about school transportation options, alternatives, equipments, and methods
- Educate your supervisors about what you learn
- Demonstrate the impact of decisions that you make, and that others make
Peggy Burns is an attorney/consultant with Education Compliance Group, Inc. Peggy can be reached at (888) 604-6141, and by email to ecginc@qwestoffice.net.
Peggy-
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more strongly with the idea you are promoting, that we as transporters and education professionals need to be more proactive in making the case for maintaining school bus service levels. There are so many tools for doing that, including the educational and awareness tools at www.AmericanSchoolBusCouncil.org.
The best tool, however, is the professional expertise and involvement of transportation personnel at all levels. It's popular to portray conferences as frivolous, but we should all fight for our need to attend workshops and keep ourselves up to date. My observation is that the most successful transportation directors at the state and local level are those who are knowledgeable and informed. Informed leaders are simply seen as more credible by school boards and superintendents. They are able to spend less time defending their programs and more time conducting them.
We all know it's bad for kids' safety and their access to learning to reduce school bus service. Attending professional development and being well-informed is critical to those of us (most readers of this blog) whose job it is to be sure policy makers view transportation as an integral part of education and student achievement.
Everyone realizes times are hard and tough decisions need to be made. We should continue making the case, however, that professional development opportunities are wise investments and are not "expendable" in the longer term.