Special Needs Bus Aide/Attendant

Special Needs Bus Attendant

Special Needs Bus Attendants are essential guardians of student safety, providing individualized care, physical support, and behavioral guidance for students transported across district routes. This role demands high empathy, firm professional boundaries, unwavering dependability, and strict adherence to safety protocols. Working side-by-side with route drivers, bus attendants cultivate a supportive, safe, and respectful environment on the bus, directly upholding Student Safety, contributing to Bus Shop Culture, and maintaining operational integrity.

Core Attributes: Must be compassionate, patient, physically capable, highly dependable, and skilled in de-escalation and clear communication with students, drivers, parents, and school staff. Physical & Equipment Proficiency: Must possess the physical capability to assist students with mobility needs, operate mechanical wheelchair lifts, and properly secure Wheelchair Tiedown and Occupant Restraint Systems (WTORS), harnesses, and safety vests. Compliance & Knowledge: Must master Idaho State Department of Education (SDE) regulations, SISBO guidelines, district student management protocols, and specific student Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 Transportation Plans. Must be able to climb up and down school bus stairs, lift 30 lbs from the emergency exit door to the ground, drag 125 lbs the length of the bus aisle using proper lifting techniques.

Core Roles & Responsibilities:

• Wheelchair Lift & Securement: Expertly operates power wheelchair lifts and installs WTORS securement systems, shoulder harnesses, and lap belts in full compliance with SDE construction and safety standards.
• IEP & 504 Adherence: Reads, understands, and executes specific transportation accommodations detailed in student IEP/504 plans (e.g., specialized seating, medical awareness, adaptive harnesses).
• Student Loading & Unloading: Directly assists students during boarding and disembarking, ensuring every student is safely seated and secured before the bus is put into motion.
• On-Bus Supervision & Professional Boundaries: Maintains active, continuous visual and physical oversight of passengers during transit. Attendants are expected to sit among students or move throughout the aisle at stops as needed, rather than remaining stationary in a single front seat. Strict Boundary Compliance: Maintains strict, professional staff-to-student boundaries at all times. Physical contact is limited strictly to necessary medical emergencies or required physical assistance (boarding, seating, securing harnesses/wheelchairs). Unauthorized physical contact (e.g., students sitting on laps, personal touching) is strictly prohibited under district policy. Passenger Safety Enforcement: Enforces state law (SISBO Section H, Para 6) requiring all passengers to remain seated in manufacturer-approved passenger seats while the bus is in motion. At no time shall a student sit on the floor or out of an approved restraint. Positive Behavior Management: Employs calm, kind, and firm de-escalation techniques. Documents behavioral concerns accurately and collaborates with the driver and Trainer to resolve ongoing issues. Journal entries should be created each day regarding student behavior or other observations.
• Performance Assessments & Compliance Rubrics: Attendants will be evaluated periodically by the Lead Trainer and Transportation Director using SDE evaluation criteria and internal performance benchmarks: Route Audits & Video Reviews: Participates in scheduled and unannounced route observations and camera reviews to assess student interactions, active supervision, and equipment securement compliance. Professional Development: Attends all mandatory district in-service training sessions (minimum 10 hours annually) covering de-escalation, WTORS operation, and emergency procedures and other best practices. Growth & Development Plans: Any safety or policy infractions will result in direct coaching. Persistent issues trigger a formal "Coaching for Success" growth plan, escalating to formal disciplinary notices if uncorrected.
• Schedule Adherence & Duty Time Productivity (Priority #2): Punctuality: Arrives on time for all morning and afternoon shifts, adhering strictly to departure and arrival schedules. Constructive Non-Driving Hours: While on paid shift time outside of active route driving, attendants must engage in productive work-related tasks, including bus cleaning/sanitization teams, reviewing student behavior logs, assisting with shop chores, journal entries, completing required safety modules, or other assigned duties.
• Emergency Readiness & Field Protocols: Evacuation Execution: Masters emergency evacuation procedures for both ambulatory and non-ambulatory (wheelchair/medically fragile) students, maintaining familiarity with emergency exit windows, roof hatches, rear doors, and webbing/seatbelt cutters. Emergency & First Aid Response: Remains prepared to administer emergency First Aid or utilize Body Fluid Clean-up Kits in accordance with health and safety protocols. Driver-Attendant Partnership: Works seamlessly with the route driver as a unified safety team, assisting with communication over the two-way radio during route delays or emergency situations.

Emmett Independent School District # 221