Transportation Department

Transportation
 
School Bus Safety
Student Transportation Discipline Ladder 
 
The School Bus Driver is responsible for ensuring all students adhere to the Tangipahoa Parish School System's Bus Rules. At the beginning of each school year and when the driver deems necessary, the driver shall read each bus behavior rule to their students, establish expectations of adherence to these rules, and explain the disciplinary action when students fail to obey.

The following discipline steps should be taken by the driver when students fail to obey the Tangipahoa Parish School System's Bus Rules:

Step I - When a student fails to obey a school bus rule, the driver should give the student a verbal warning. This warning should include the rule or rules broken, an expectation of corrective behavior, and a reminder of the next step in the discipline ladder. At this point the driver may reassign the student to a front seat for closer monitoring and should document the verbal warning.

Step II - The driver should contact the student's parents, by phone or in writing. The driver should inform the parents of the student's misbehavior and seek their assistance in correcting the problem. The driver should document that he had a conversation with the student's parents.

Step III - The driver should complete the Bus Behavior Form and submit it to the student's principal. The form should identify the child, the behavior problem, the previous discipline action taken (warning and parent conversation), and any recommended disciplinary action. The student receives disciplinary action at the discretion of the school administration. A conference with parents, student, driver, and administrator will be held if deemed necessary.

Step IV - The driver should complete the Bus Behavior Form as defined in Step III and submit it to the student's principal. A conference with the driver, student, parents, and administrator is required before the student may ride the bus again. The student will be suspended from the bus for a minimum of three (3) days.

Step V - Same as Step IV, with an increase in the number of days to a minimum of five (5) days.

Step VI - The student is removed from the bus for a minimum of nine (9) days and until a hearing is held with a representative of the Office of Pupil Services and Transportation Department.

Note: The principal is the only one with the authority to discipline a student; a student's behavior may warrant a direct jump to any of the above discipline steps; a student's good behavior may move them back to lower steps.