| Grant County School |
| Bylaws & Policies |
8600.04 - BUS OPERATOR CERTIFICATION
It is the policy of the Board of Education that all bus operators obtain and hold proper certification under standards for school bus operator established within the West Virginia State Code and West Virginia Board of Education policy, which include proper training and experience, demonstrated competency, physical capabilities, and passing physical examination. It is also the purpose of this Board to protect its students from drivers whose certification is invalidated in the state of West Virginia.
A school bus operator accumulating ten (10) or more points on Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driving record while an employee will have his/her school bus certification subject to recall, refusal, or suspension by the State Superintendent of Schools and his/her employment as a school bus operator may be terminated.
The State Superintendent may also recall, refuse, or suspend the certification of any school bus operator for reasons, which include but are not limited to:
| A. | failure to met the physical requirements | |
| B. | failure to pass the written examination developed by the State Department | |
| C. | failure to pass a driving test administered by the State Department | |
| D. | failure to satisfactorily complete the "West Virginia School Bus Operator Instructional Program" | |
| E. | failure to pass a physical examination required by the County Superintendent | |
| If warranted, another physical examination may be required. | ||
| F. | accumulation of six (6) or more points on his/her DMV driving record while an applicant | |
| G. | conviction of a felony | |
| H. | conviction of and/or DMV suspension or revocation of license, on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or narcotics, or clear and convincing evidence presented, such as positive breath or blood test, of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of same | |
| The applicant/employee shall not be certified to operate a school bus for at least two (2) years subsequent to a first offense for such conviction or suspension/revocation. For a second offense certification shall be withdrawn and refused permanently. | ||
| I. | conviction on a charge of possession or sale of a controlled substance | |
| J. | demonstration of clear and convincing evidence that s/he has been an abuser of alcohol, drugs, or narcotics | |
| K. | conviction of any sexual or child molestation charge | |
| The applicant/school bus operator may also have certification refused or recalled when it is shown by clear and convincing evidence that they have sexually assaulted or sexually abused any person, or to have molested a child. | ||
| L. | demonstrations of clear and convincing evidence or documentation of frequent violations of traffic laws, sound safety practices, regulations, or ordinances, or any single violation that threatened the safety of student passengers, or other users of streets or highways | |
| M. | violation of West Virginia Board of Education Policy 5902 - Employee Code of Conduct |
The above violations, misconduct, etc., shall not be confined to the time the school bus operator is driving the school vehicle.
When the State Superintendent receives information concerning any of the violations set forth above, or any other conduct that would justify the recall, refusal, or suspension of the certification of any school bus operator, the certification holder shall be notified of the pending action against him/her and afforded the opportunity for a hearing in accordance with West Virginia Board of Education Policy 1340 - Rules of Procedure for Administrative Hearings and Appeals.
A driver involved in a preventable school bus accident, or judged guilty of a minor traffic violation, shall be subject to the disciplinary action established in the Superintendent's administrative guidelines. Additionally, any school bus operator under contract with the Board who fails to comply with any of said rules is guilty of break of contract and the contract shall be canceled after notice and hearing by the responsible officers of the Board.
17C-14-12, W.V. Code
W.V. State Board of Education Policy 1340
W.V. State Board of Education Policy 4336