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Before a driver can transport students, there are many steps they must complete:

• All drivers are fingerprinted and processed through the Department of Public Safety.  In addition, the Washington Elementary School District performs a background investigation on all new employees.
   
• All drivers must pass a written test to acquire a Commercial Drivers License (CDL).
   
• All drivers must pass a medical exam, physical performance test, and a drug test.
   
• All drivers must have a clean Motor Vehicle Record.
   
• Arizona requires a minimum of 14 hours of classroom training.  Our drivers attend 24 hours of classroom training.  The training consists of student management, safe loading and unloading, laws, and district policies and procedures of driving a school bus.
   
• All drivers must become certified in CPR and First Aid.
  
  

• Drivers are trained to safely transport special education students to and from school.
  
  

• Drivers are also provided with additional training throughout the year.
   

• All prospective drivers are assigned to a state certified trainer who instructs them on how to properly load and unload students, inspect the bus to make sure it is safe to transport students, and drive the bus in various environments.  Drivers are also trained on a skills course to instruct them on how to maneuver and control the bus in difficult situations.  All prospective drivers must have at least 20 hours of behind-the-wheel training, but most drivers will drive additional hours before taking the official CDL driving test.
  
  

• Before a driver is given the official CDL driving test, they are given a "road test" by a state certified trainer to make sure they are prepared and confident to drive the bus.
  
  
• A certified CDL examiner then provides the official CDL driving test.  The examiner ensures that the driver can properly inspect the bus, load and unload students safely, drive the bus in traffic, as well as the skills course without error.
   
• All of the drivers are evaluated throughout the year to make sure they are transporting the students to and from school safely.  This includes reviewing on-board video, GPS, and on-board observations with a supervisor.

• All assistants must pass a background investigation.
  
  

• All assistants must pass a physical performance test and drug test approved by the Washington Elementary School District.
  
  

• All assistants must become certified in CPR and First Aid.
  
  
• All assistants receive 24 hours of classroom and hands-on training.  The training consists of disabilities, behavior management, safe loading and unloading, emergency evacuations, laws, and district policies and procedures.
  
  
• Assistants are also provided with additional training throughout the year.
  
  

• All of the assistants are evaluated throughout the year to make sure they are supervising the students to and from school appropriately.  This includes reviewing on-board video and on-board observations with a supervisor.