26 of those years at Fort Smith and the balance in rural Missouri. He agrees with Simmons on the issue of over-regulation. “What always affects superintendents are issues that cost mon-


ey,” Gooden says. “Federal regulations add to our costs. We have a limited amount of dollars, whether it’s an equipment require- ment, operational or labor rules. Te big issue for transportation now is fuel costs.” Many of the federal issues become local issues. Costs might be


a little higher in one state and lower in another, but often have about the same impact. He says a new clean-diesel engine speci- fication might add another $5,000 per bus. “Nobody’s against improvements, but the question is, what do


they do to the bottom line?” Gooden says. “What you have to re- alize is that some schools own their own bus fleets and others contract out to independent bus companies. But additional re- quirements all relate in some way to the bottom line.” Ten, beneath the federal rules there are the rules in 50 dif-


ferent states. Some states require two stop arms on buses. Some states require the one rear emergency door, while others allow additional doors. A hot-button issue that Gooden is tracking is whether school buses should have safety belts. Some states re- quire them, and some do not. “Tere are all these nuances. It all gets back to costs,” Gooden


maintains while recognizing the need for safety regulations. “We’re always looking at accident prevention, and we have a big focus on driver training and retraining.” Several Arkansas children were killed a few years ago after they


departed their buses and then walked in front of them. Te bus drivers didn’t see the kids and hit them. So, administrators man- dated cross-over gates, which NHTSA has yet to require, to force the children to walk far enough in front of the bus so the driver can see them. “Federal (and state) standards are always under review, and


they usually go back to school design and safety,” Gooden says. “Many people don’t remember that several decades back, Dr. Frank Cyr at the Teacher’s College at Columbia University in New York City initiated the idea that school buses should all be the same standard yellow chrome color. Before that, there were no standard colors for school buses.” Still, Gooden says, there is a potential for conflict between the


superintendents and transportation. Te transportation advo- cate, for example, might think something is extremely important in terms of operational efficiency, equipment design or safety. Te superintendent, while sensitive to these matters, is also ac- countable to the public on just how to pay for it. “It’s just like everything else: you have to find a good, common


ground,” Gooden says. “We are not Congress. We understand how to compromise, and we plan to stay that way. I think one thing you’ll find superintendents have in common is that they want to provide the best education and best transportation for students at the lowest cost.” “I think we’re in a critical time,” says Simmons, “and not just in


transportation, but education too. In this era of budget cuts and tight money, I think our job is to truly promote not just the safety aspects of school buses, but their environmental and education- al impacts as well.” ■


2012 Superintendent of the Year Heath Morrison has targeted transportation as vital to improving high-school graduation rates in the Reno, Nev., area.


Super Feats


What’s amazing about Heath Morrison winning the National


Superintendent of the Year Award in February is that he is just now completing his third full school year at the helm of Washoe County School District in Reno, Nev. But as with any true leader, Morrison is quick to deflect his own accomplishments, such as completely turning around a dismal high school graduation rate. At the same time, he has fought to increase transportation ser- vices amid $90 million in budget cuts since he took office. “Superintendents don’t do this job for acknowledgement or


praise,” he told us shortly after returning from the American Association of School Administrators’ National Conference on Education in Houston. He likened his position to that of a quarterback who might be


the most visible player on the football field, but relies heavily on the skills and contributions of his teammates. Still, it takes a true leader to rally the troops, provide the direction and trailblaze the path to achieving objectives. While he admitted he has taken some big challenges head on, he also bragged about the work of the district’s principals, teachers and the transportation department. For example, Morrison said schools are expected to meet the


ever-increasing needs of the students and their parents, especially in this age of charters schools and choice. Tis includes offering busing to students who might otherwise be unable to get to school. He also has forged a new culture at Washoe that has re- sulted in programs like Connect-Ed, an automated phone system that cycles through enrollment data to notify students about any school closures, late starts, early dismissals and even local emer- gency evacuations. Te latter have occurred several times recently as wildfires choked the area. Transportation has been an important cog in that customer


service wheel, as evidenced by the Nevada Special Office Admin- istrator of the Year award that Transportation Fleet Supervisor Todd Duncan recently received, in part for leading a school bus evacuation of local residents during one of the recent fire storms. “Tat’s the caliber of people we have,” added Morrison.


“Let’s say we don’t have buses; how would we have gotten an elementary school of kids out of a fire zone?” — Ryan Gray


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