Washington Administrative Code › Title 392 - Public Instruction, Superintendent of › Chapter 392-144 - School bus driver qualifications › Section 392-144-020 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter
				unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(1) "Superintendent" means the Washington
			 state superintendent of public instruction or designee.
(2) "School bus driver" means a person, who
			 is employed by a local education agency including contracted drivers under WAC
			 392-144-040(1) and
			 (2) and as part of that employment or
			 contract, operates a school bus as defined in WAC
			 392-143-010, or other motor
			 vehicles for the regularly scheduled transportation of students between home
			 and school. School buses shall be operated by authorized school bus drivers
			 when transporting students. An authorized school bus driver may also transport
			 students on field trips and other school related activities.
(3) " School bus driver's authorization"
			 means an authorization issued by the superintendent indicating that the person
			 has met the requirements to operate a school bus or other motor vehicle for the
			 purpose of transporting students to and from school routinely on scheduled
			 routes and/or school activities. A school bus driver must have a valid
			 authorization prior to transporting students and such authorization shall
			 continue in effect as long as the person continues to meet the requirements of
			 this chapter. A school bus driver authorization is not valid if suspended,
			 revoked or lapsed.
(4) " Lapsed
			 school bus driver's authorization" means the driver does not have a valid
			 driver's license, current first-aid training, a current medical examiner's
			 certificate (including any required intrastate medical waiver) or current
			 in-service training. A school bus driver shall not operate a school bus with
			 passengers on board until they meet all requirements. There is no requirement
			 for a lapse in authorization to be reported to the superintendent of public
			 instruction.
(5) " Suspended school
			 bus driver's authorization" means the superintendent has suspended the school
			 bus driver's authorization for a specific period of time. The superintendent
			 will not remove the driver from the agency's list of authorized drivers. This
			 action does not prevent the local education agency from taking independent
			 actions to terminate the employment of the driver. In that case, the local
			 education agency would remove the driver from the list of their authorized
			 drivers.
(6) " Revoked school bus
			 driver's authorization" means the superintendent has determined the school bus
			 driver no longer meets the minimum requirements of this chapter and the
			 driver's name is removed from the list of authorized drivers at the employing
			 local education agency. The driver will not be eligible to be an authorized
			 school bus driver at any local education agency until the disqualifying
			 conditions are no longer present. In those rare situations where the
			 disqualifying conditions are particularly grievous including, but not limited
			 to, crimes against children and falsification of records, the revocation may be
			 permanent.
(7) "Authorized school
			 bus driver instructor" means an individual authorized by the superintendent to
			 verify the training of school bus drivers.
(8) "School bus driver training course" means
			 a course established by the superintendent and taught or overseen by an
			 authorized school bus driver instructor. This course shall be successfully
			 completed by all applicants for a school bus driver's authorization.
(9) "School bus driver annual in-service
			 training" means annual training taught by an authorized school bus driver
			 instructor. The content and minimum time requirements of such training shall be
			 annually determined by the superintendent and shall be completed no earlier
			 than August 1st and no later than October 31st by all authorized school bus
			 drivers. A school bus driver's authorization is lapsed effective the first day
			 of November of any school year if the school bus driver did not attend the
			 in-service training class.
(10)
			 "School bus driver instructor's course" means a training program established by
			 the superintendent to qualify a person as a school bus driver
			 instructor.
(11) "School bus driver
			 instructor's annual in-service training" means annual required training, the
			 content of which shall be determined by the superintendent. Successful
			 completion of this course prevents the instructor's authorization from
			 lapsing.
(12) "Professional
			 misconduct" means a documented instance of an authorized school bus driver
			 failing to comply with the provisions of this chapter, the provisions of
			 chapter 392-145 WAC, or the provisions of chapter 46.25 RCW while authorized to
			 operate a school bus and chapter 46.61 RCW while operating a school
			 bus.
(13) "Certified medical
			 examiner" means an individual certified by the federal Motor Carrier Safety
			 Administration and listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical
			 Examiners.
(14) "Medical examiner's
			 certificate" means a written verification of passing a medical examination in
			 accordance with the standards established in
			 49 C.F.R.
			 391.41 through
			 391.49,
			 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
(15) "Local education agency" means a common
			 school district, educational service district, charter school established under
			 chapter 28A.710 RCW, or state-tribal education compact school approved and
			 executed under chapter 28A.715 RCW.
Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				  28A.160.210. 08-19-017, § 392-144-020,
				  filed 9/5/08, effective 10/6/08; 08-07-054, § 392-144-020, filed 3/14/08,
				  effective 4/14/08. Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				  28A.160.210 and 2006 c 263 § 906.
				  06-15-010, amended and recodified as § 392-144-020, filed 7/6/06,
				  effective 8/6/06. Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				  28A.160.210. 05-19-107, § 180-20-009,
				  filed 9/20/05, effective 10/21/05; 04-08-055, § 180-20-009, filed 4/2/04,
				  effective 5/3/04; 02-18-055, § 180-20-009, filed 8/28/02, effective
				  9/28/02.