Pupil Transportation - 313-0212-23
Description of Agency
Michigan Department of Education (MDE):
MDE’s role is to oversee and support pupil transportation throughout the State by facilitating safe and reliable transportation for students. MDE works with and monitors local school districts’ compliance with laws and regulations related to pupil transportation. Approximately 700 of Michigan’s almost 900 school districts provide pupil transportation and reported an inventory of approximately 13,240 school buses for school year 2022-23. MDE also administers the distribution of approximately $2 million in annual training funds to 17 training agencies (intermediate school districts and colleges/universities) to provide basic school bus driver safety education and continuing education courses and assistance to school districts, parents, legislators, and others on pupil transportation issues.
Michigan Department of State Police (MSP):
The Pupil Transportation Act (Act 187 of 1990) regulates the equipment, maintenance, operation, and use of school buses; prescribes the qualifications of school bus drivers; and prescribes the powers and duties of State and local governmental agencies. The Act requires MSP to annually inspect all school buses. MSP’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division performs the annual inspections and reported that it conducted over 16,000 inspections in its School Bus Inspection Report for school year 2021-22. The State School Aid Act provides total annual funding of approximately $1.8 million for the inspections.
Audit Objectives
- To assess the sufficiency of MDE’s efforts to monitor compliance with select pupil transportation requirements and guidance.
- To assess the sufficiency of MSP’s school bus inspection efforts.
Timing
Estimated Release Date: Mid 2024
← Back to all work in progress