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While the yellow school bus is emblematic of American education, there is variation in bus service across the country. Millions of students rely on the bus, making transportation an essential part of a student's educational experience. Thus, equity in transportation access is a key component of educational equity. Using national district-level data and New York City student-level data, we examine equity in transportation finance and bus provision. Our findings indicate significant racial and ethnic disparities, both nationally and in NYC. These results may help schools and districts design bus services to level the playing field and enhance student outcomes.

School buses facilitate access to education for many children. This research aimed to systematically review factors associated with safe school bus transportation for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Searches of 5 databases, combining terms denoting NDDs and school buses, for English publications since 2000, yielded only 12 relevant articles among 1524 records. Literature was limited to parent-based studies, guidelines, reviews or commentaries. There was scant attention to the immediate roles of bus drivers and aides. Literature recommendations included increased attention to the needs of children with NDDs and improved communication, collaboration, support and training across all key stakeholders, particularly to improve implementation of individual child safety plans. Further research is needed on this critical support service for many families.

Though many families of color move to U.S. suburbs for better educational opportunity, they often find that their children's access to capital-building resources is dependent on transportation which may be unavailable, insufficient, or provided in a marginalizing and stigmatizing manner. This study shares the perspectives of eight suburban teenagers of color who relied on school-provided transportation to access their affluent, majority-White high school, exploring how their district's transportation practices negatively impacted their access to resources, and their sense of priority and belonging in their school community. It underscores the need for equity-minded suburban school leaders to consider the practical and social-emotional implications of transportation policies and ensure that practices support full access to resources and an inclusive school climate.

Taking the school bus has long been an integral part of the school experience in the U.S. However, not much is known about how school transportation relates to getting to school each day, particularly for students with disabilities. This study used ECLS-K: 2011 to explore two issues. First, we examined what characteristics are associated with taking the school bus, comparing students with and without disabilities. Second, we evaluated the link between taking the school bus and absenteeism for these groups. In the first set of findings, school bus taking is differentiated by student and family characteristics, as well as by urbanicity. We find no major differences in characteristics associated with taking the bus between students with disabilities and students without. As for the second set of findings, students with more common disability diagnoses had fewer absences compared to both students without disabilities as well as those with lower incidence diagnoses, suggesting that taking the bus is related to better attendance behaviors for some students with disabilities. Implications are discussed.

This study examines how the student transportation options available to families affect which schools are accessible to them in a choice-based setting. The study has two parts. First, we compare commute times by foot, public transit, school bus, and car. We show that providing school bus service reduces commute times and improves access for families without cars, but access to a car fundamentally shapes families' options. Second, we explore the relationship between neighborhood-level measures of vehicle access and families' school requests and placements. Car access is strongly associated with school requests and placements even after accounting for neighborhood characteristics. We consider car access as a pathway by which wealth disparities produce educational disparities in settings that emphasize school choice.

In tiered systems, all school faculty and staff ideally recognize student academic, behavioral, and social achievement as a shared responsibility. In an ideal system, faculty and staff collaborate in a data-informed process to define common student expectations to facilitate success. Adults provide clarity for all students by defining expectations for instructional and non-instructional settings, allowing equitable access to all areas of the school experience. In this replication study, we explored educator priorities of behavioral expectations in classroom and non-instructional settings for students as measured by the Schoolwide Expectations Survey for Specific Settings (SESSS). We analyzed faculty and staff data from 10 U.S. schools whose leadership teams participated in a yearlong professional learning series to design their Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered (Ci3T) model of prevention. Results indicated educators across school levels (elementary, middle, high) had similar views on what expectations should be prioritized for student success, with statistically significant differences found for the hallway setting. Implications and future directions for research in this area are discussed.

The implementation of school-wide anti-bullying programs has received mixed, though predominantly positive, results in the United States. The present study sought to investigate attributes of a successful anti-bullying campaign with specific interest in areas for continued improvement. The instructional faculty, content area specialists, staff employees, and administrators of a rural mid-Atlantic elementary school were solicited to participate in audio recorded interviews regarding their perceptions of the program at their school. All participants indicated the program was largely successful at their school and the recommendations for further improvements included expanding the bullying reduction training to non-teaching staff, continued emphasis on emotional skills, inclusion of information on varying perspectives regarding gender and culture, and expanding the training to emphasize employee interactions as an important component of the anti-bullying climate.

The Emotional Climate Scale (ECS) was used to study the emotional responses of minority and majority elementary school students to different settings within their schools. The ECS applies a 7 point Likert scale to assess the emotions of anger, sadness, anxiety, loneliness, calmness, excitement, happiness, and hope in the school settings of the school bus, the playground, the principal office as well as the English, mathematics, social studies, and science classes. Minority children are significantly happier and lonelier on the bus and they are also more excited, angry and lonely in English classes than their white peers. In math classes minority children are more excited but lonelier. On the playground minority children are significantly sadder than majority children. In the principal's office, minority children are significantly calmer than majority children. In science, minority children were significantly more excited and hopeful. In social studies minority children were also more excited. In the gym, there were no significant differences between majority and minority children. Excitement and happiness are the two positive emotions are preferred and appropriate for all classes. A key question raised by the ECS is the question "Is this school fair to minority children?" The presence of loneliness, sadness, and anger are troubling indicators of something that is not right in this school.

Cross-border education is defined as the movement of people, knowledge, programs, providers, and curriculums across national or regional jurisdictional borders. Each year, millions of students access better education by crossing their national borders from less developed or newly-industrialized countries to Western, industrialised countries. Most are tertiary education students but the numbers engaged in secondary, primary, and pre-school education are also significant. Under the implementation of "one country two systems" in Hong Kong after the transition of sovereignty from Britain to China in 1997, and a decision of a case in The Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong in 2011, babies born in Hong Kong to mainland Chinese parents are entitled to the right of abode in Hong Kong. Since then, tens of thousands of such births have occurred. More than 20,000 cross-border students travel from China to attend public schools in Hong Kong every day. This paper explores equality issues faced by these students. The paper evaluates the results of various stakeholders working together to solve important issues; for example, dedicated school zones, immigration clearance services, setting up Hong Kong classes in Chinese schools, and language, communication, and cultural support. The paper argues that inequality is prevalent.

This study aimed to investigate the conditions of pre-school children's school buses. Six pre-service senior pre-school teachers interviewed twelve school bus drivers, and then took four bus rides with children from school to home and made observations while on the bus. The researchers identified three themes based on the literature: safety, social and physical environment, and communication with drivers. A content analysis approach was used to analyze the data. The findings of this study revealed that three safety rules--unfastened seat belts, use of the front seat, and use of cell phones while driving the school bus--were broken by the school bus drivers. The general social environment of the buses was positive; no conflict was observed among children during their social interactions with each other. Nevertheless, the physical condition was not as pleasing as the social environment. The buses were dirty, dusty, and had a bad smell due to the lack of fresh air. The communication between children and the drivers was fairly good. Children were eager to talk about their school day to the drivers, and the drivers were willing to listen to them. However, the drivers were not so kind during their private phone calls during the ride.

Late coming to school has become a major problem in many schools, particularly township schools with serious consequences. Current research has demonstrated that many schools in South Africa are performing badly due to inefficient use of the teaching and learning time. In this article, we argue that while major administrative interventions are undertaken to improve the quality of learning and teaching, it seems that very little attention is paid to late-coming. Late-coming has become a cancer that saps away big interventions and strays the performance of selected township schools in a different direction. The purpose of this research is to investigate the causes of late-coming among high school students in selected secondary schools of Shoshanguve. A qualitative approach was used to draw data from high school students in selected secondary schools of Shoshanguve. The findings reveal that late-coming is common among learners in selected secondary schools of Shoshanguve. It happens every day for varying reasons. We recommended practical solutions ranging from administrative improvement to learner behavioural change.

The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of an electronic check-in, check-out (eCICO) intervention. The district's case manager (i.e., guidance counselor) implemented the eCICO intervention remotely via FaceTime on an iPad in collaboration with the bus driver who facilitated student wireless internet access to a mobile hot spot. Results of the single-case multiple baseline across behaviors study suggest a functional relation between eCICO and the target bus behaviors of two rural students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. Further, low rates of target behaviors were maintained after eCICO was withdrawn. Implications for implementing eCICO interventions, limitations, and future research directions are discussed. Results of the study are reported using visual analysis, Tau-U, and percentage of non-overlapping data points.

Purpose: This study explores student sensemaking based on the creation and interpretation of sound on a public school bus, operating as a result of a desegregation settlement. To understand these multimodal literacy practices, the authors examined students' journeys, sonically as passengers in mobile and adult-constructed space. Design/methodology/approach: As a qualitative study, the authors used ethnographic methods for data collection. Additionally, the authors used a design-based research approach to work alongside students to capture and interpret sound levels on the bus. Findings: Findings from this study illustrate how students used sounds as a means to create community, engage in agentic choices and make meaning of their surroundings. Moreover, students used sound as a way around the pervasive drone of the bus itself. Research limitations/implications: Research implications from this study speak to the need for research approaches that extend beyond visual observation. Sonic interpretation can offer researchers greater understanding into student learning as they spend time in interstitial spaces. Practical implications: This manuscript illustrates possibilities that emerge if educators attune to the sounds that shape a learner's day and the ways in which attention to sonic design can create more equitable spaces that are conducive to students' learning and literacy needs. Originality/value: This study demonstrates the use of sound as a means of sensemaking, calling attention to new ways of understanding student experiences in adult-governed spaces.

The goals of this study were to determine whether children who took the bus to school on a regular basis felt safest during the commute to school, in school, or on the commute home from school, and to identify the factors that correlate with fear of being bullied on the bus. A sample of 610 students (296 boys, 313 girls; mean age = 11.25 years, SD = 0.51) was surveyed during the fall semester of their first year of middle school (sixth grade). Students indicated that they felt safer in school than they did on the commute to or from school, which nearly always occurred by bus. Sex differences were investigation and found to be small in number and magnitude. These differences were limited to slightly more girls than boys reporting feeling safer in school, slightly more boys than girls reporting feeling safer on the commute home from school, and a modestly stronger association between bullying victimization and fear of being bullied on the school bus in boys than in girls, although the effect was significant in both sexes. There were no significant differences between boys and girls in their overall level of fear of bullying on the bus. A full sample regression analysis revealed significant correlations between the risk factors of bullying victimization and depression, and a child's fear of being bullied on the bus, suggesting that such fears are related to past victimization and current feelings of sadness, loneliness, and reduced energy.

This case is based on the real incidents occurring in Oakland, California in the fall of 2013. The case was adapted to occur within a school setting, and the schools and district noted within are entirely contrived for the purposes of this case. However, the original bus number, 57, was retained to pay homage to the real victims. Intimidation, bullying, and harassment that take place in schools greatly affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth. LGBTQ students, who experience school-based discrimination and harassment, experience more negative academic outcomes and psychological struggles than their non-LGBTQ peers.

The aim of this research is to analyze opinions of teachers who work in preschool education institutions concerning precautions that should be taken for indoor and outdoor security. Study group of this research is determined by criterion sampling from purposeful sampling techniques. The study group of this research is consist of eight preschool teachers who work in four private and four public schools in Kocaeli Izmit district in the fall semester of 2013-2014 Academic Year. For the purpose of the research, data are collected with semi-structured interview technique. During the research, the interviews are recorded with tape recorder and the interviews are put down on paper then analyzed. After the recorded data are submitted to approval of participants, the analysis of the data has started. Date are analyzed with descriptive analysis method and coded then interpreted. In order to ensure validity of the research, the data are tried to be analyzed with direct quotes of the participants. Research findings show that the most important risk factors are caused by defective design of schools. Research results also show that schools have not only indoor security problems such as stairs and door but also external security problems such as garden and playgrounds.

Background: Breakfast consumption often decreases as youth get older. The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides an opportunity to intervene and increase breakfast consumption, especially among high school students. Methods: Project breakFAST implemented an expanded breakfast service at 12 high schools. In this longitudinal evaluation, school administrators provided SBP participation and demographic data on all ninth and 10th graders for two full consecutive school years. Students screened for eating breakfast <3 times/week were randomly selected to participate in the cohort study. The cohort completed a survey on perceived barriers, benefits, and breakfast habits. Results: At baseline, all 12 schools had only traditional before school cafeteria SBP service. Mean participation was 16.3% and ranged from 7.9 to 38.1%. After the intervention, there was an increase in participation to 25.7% (p = 0.004) ranging from 14.1 to 47.5%. There was no change in breakfast participation before school (13.3%, p = 0.06). Students who traveled to school by car, bike, or walking at baseline were 4.5% less likely to participate in second chance breakfast at follow-up than those who took the bus to school (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Second chance breakfast is an option for increasing high school breakfast participation, especially for those riding the bus.

As more and more states contemplate the new school year following the Coronavirus lockdown, teachers, supervisors, and administrators have to determine strategies to safely open their schools. It is hoped that the advice will help guide stakeholders in their decision-making process to be better prepared to meet the current pandemic challenges in starting the new school year with health and safety as the priority. This article was written with the full awareness that governmental guidelines vary from state to state and can change between the publication of this article and the opening of your school. Please follow all local, state, and federal guidelines as they become available. This article focuses on two areas: (1) What are the safest strategies for opening up schools, including but not limited to health, safety and security, curriculum and instruction and facilities; and (2) What specific educational strategies can be used to foster effective teaching/learning activities in Science, STEM, and technology education/engineering. It is based on the best available information that addresses the challenges of this unprecedented situation.

Although research suggests that student misconduct on school buses is pervasive, little is known about the strategies drivers use to promote safe buses. We consulted with more than 40 professionals from the transportation community to create a behavioral management strategy taxonomy for buses. We also analyzed results from a nationally representative survey (N = 2,595) of transportation officials to examine the prevalence and perceived effectiveness of these strategies. The most commonly used strategies are disciplinary referrals, the promotion of relationships between students and drivers and between drivers and school officials, and drivers pulling over when misconduct occurs. Bus attendants and security cameras are perceived as the most effective strategies. An analysis of thousands of open-ended survey responses provides numerous insights about what works for transportation-based student management.

The Carrollton Exempted Village School District is experiencing a major transformation due to the Utica Shale industry boom that has positively impacted the district. New money has not been passed by the voters since 1977. As a result, the administration and board had to find alternative ways to fund the district, which includes partnering with various oil and gas companies and most importantly, ensuring that students are learning the necessary skills in the classroom to compete in the local workforce. Three strategies emerged from this transformation.

Rural poverty rises to higher levels than poverty in urban and suburban areas, and rural communities and their schools face greater isolation, which means that families must travel farther than their urban and suburban counterparts to access available services and learning opportunities. Elaine Weiss describes two rural communities, one in Arkansas and another in Kentucky, that provide models for how rural communities might create ways for students and families to access resources that otherwise would be out of reach. Grant funding allowed one district to open up additional spots in a local preschool, while a partner organization in another community converted school buses into preschool classrooms, so they could take learning directly to distant families. These districts also used technology to improve their STEM offerings, provide access to e-books that students could download on school-provided tablets at school and read at home without internet access, and put students in touch with medical care, mentors, and learning opportunities beyond their local community.

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) provides effective behavior management in many schools, yet such systematic approaches to behavior management are generally not implemented aboard school buses. This article describes guidance for the expansion of PBIS onto school buses. Research supporting the use of PBIS in school and transportation settings is described. Steps for implementing PBIS on school buses are provided in relation to an example of the practice in a small school district.

This study presents results from a nationally representative survey of school district transportation officials (N = 2,595) to understand how common seven types of behavioral problems (fighting, bullying, substance use, sexual harassment, sexual behaviors, profanity, violations of basic rules) are perceived to be on school buses. Ordinary least-squares regression is used to examine respondent- and district-level predictors of behavioral problems. Results indicate that violations of basic rules (e.g., moving seats), profanity, and bullying are perceived to be the most common problems on the nation's buses. Several respondent (e.g., sex, race, title) and district characteristics (e.g., percentage of special education students) are statistically associated with perceptions of misconduct, number of disciplinary reports filed in the previous school year, or the frequency with which reports were filed. Implications of findings are discussed.

Inappropriate behavior on school buses is a safety issue that concerns students, parents, and educators. There is potential for traffic-related injury, and the limited adult supervision on school buses often facilitates bullying and other infractions. This review identified peer-reviewed articles and dissertations evaluating behavioral interventions designed to improve student behaviors on school buses. Identified studies (n = 18) provided limited information regarding the characteristics of participants and generally assessed the effect of driver- or researcher-implemented reinforcement, punishment, and other management activities on the behavior of all passengers. Studies yielded modest results and did not satisfy the most recent quality indicators of the Council of Exceptional Children. Nonetheless, findings have implications for the implementation of driver-oriented management strategies as well as research concerning new approaches to behavior management aboard school buses.