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Bus driver and education workers urge better training, staffing and safety in Hamilton County schools
Summary
Multiple public commenters and commissioners raised safety and staffing concerns in Hamilton County Schools, focusing on bus driver training for special-needs routes, class sizes, and school support services amid tight budgets.
At the Hamilton County Commission meeting, public commenters and commissioners pressed school officials and the commission to prioritize safety and training for school transportation and to protect classroom staffing.
Janelle Davis, a school bus driver with nearly 15 years’ experience who said she is retiring, told commissioners that some contract drivers who transport special-needs students are not receiving adequate physical training and that buses sometimes run without required monitors or proper harnessing. “We have people driving special needs kids without a monitor on the bus,” Davis said, adding that leaving a child unattended on a wheelchair ramp is “illegal.”
Retired teacher Sabrina Daniel asked the commission to protect classroom staffing and recommended a 1-to-20 teacher-student ratio in regular education classrooms, along with on-site nurses, counselors, principals and other support staff. Daniel urged cuts, if necessary, to be made in central office rather than in direct student services.
Commissioner Highlander thanked the speakers and said he would follow up; Commissioner Beck and others described the concerns as serious and cited past tragedies to underline the need for improved training and oversight. A school board member in the room, identified as Ben Connor, and other commissioners said they would coordinate with school officials.
Commissioners and the meeting chair directed staff to note the public comments and suggested follow-up with the school board and school system staff. No formal county action or policy change was adopted at the meeting; the comments were entered into the public record and will be part of ongoing budget and oversight conversations.
Why this matters: Public safety, staffing and training in school transportation directly affect student safety every day. The concerns also intersect with the county’s budget decisions, as commissioners and the mayor weigh operating costs, staffing, and potential central-office reductions against classroom and transportation needs.
What’s next: Commissioners said they would relay the testimony to the school board and education staff; Commissioner Highlander offered to coordinate follow-up, and several commissioners noted budget hearings as the forum for examining resource allocation.
