U.S. education, transportation chiefs to ride school bus

TUCSON, Ariz. — Staff members at the Tucson Unified School District bus depot will be joined by two very high-profile visitors on Wednesday morning: U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The visit will be part of Duncan's annual back-to-school bus tour. Duncan and Foxx will appear at the Tucson Unified depot at 7 a.m. on Sept. 11 to "discuss how school bus drivers are on the front lines of school safety efforts as students begin and end their day," according to a press release about the event.

The secretaries will then ride along on a school bus run to Dodge Traditional Magnet Middle School, where they will visit with students and teachers and participate in a service project.

This will likely be the first school transportation-related public appearance for Foxx, who was confirmed as transportation secretary in June, succeeding Ray LaHood.

Also on the day's agenda for Duncan are a stop at Sunnyside High School to see how technology is being used to empower educators and engage students, a community town hall at Arizona State University and a visit to the "Healing Field" memorial in Tempe to honor victims and first responders of the Sept. 11 attacks.

"The strength of America's economy is inextricably linked to the strength of America's education system," Duncan said. “This year's bus tour will be an opportunity to discuss throughout the Southwest how investments in education are critical to our country’s future and how state and local reforms are delivering encouraging results."