New Hanover County school board members are worried that requiring teacher assistants to drive a bus route might solve the county’s bus driver shortage but deter quality assistants from applying.
During its Dec. 1 meeting, the board considered a proposal for a program mandating all teacher assistants earn a N.C. Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) so, if called upon, they can fill in as a bus driver. The board decided to postpone the vote because board members, especially Edward Higgins, wanted to amend the program to encourage — not require — teacher assistants to drive a bus route.
Board member Bruce Shell agreed, suggesting the program could do so by offering perks, like preferential treatment in the event of layoffs, for teacher assistants with a CDL.
The proposed program would mandate that all new teacher assistants obtain a CDL within 90 days of being hired. They would be full-time employees and have benefits, but six hours of their day would be spent in the classroom and two hours driving a bus route.
Vice-chair Jeannette Nichols said she didn’t want to turn away excellent teacher assistant candidates because they weren’t willing or able to complete the extensive requirements for earning a CDL: a background check, a physical fitness test, a written test and a driving test.
“If they are a great TA, how could we not hire them if we need them?” she asked.
Human Resources Assistant Superintendent Dr. John Welmers argued that not only would the program give the county more bus drivers, it would also allow them to hire more teacher assistants, because their bus-driving hours would be paid from a different source than the teacher assistant budget.
Many counties in North Carolina require teacher assistants to drive a bus route, Welmers added.
“Well, that’s fine, but we’re not one of them,” Higgins responded, earning cheers from the audience.
The board will hear the program proposal again during a future meeting. Nichols said in the meantime Welmers should survey currently employed teacher assistants to determine their opinion of the program.
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