District to implement new bus pickup policy for special-needs students

EL PASO, Texas — Socorro Independent School District is scheduled to implement a new bus pickup policy today for its special-needs students and children in preschool through second grade.

El Paso Times reported that the policy will require the district’s school bus drivers to keep these students on the bus until their parents or another adult authorized by the child’s parents picks up the student.

Children who are not met at bus stops by an adult will be taken back to their schools and will have to be picked up on campus.

The bus pickup procedures were changed at the request of Manny Rubio, the district's new transportation director, and bus drivers who felt uncomfortable leaving young children unsupervised, according to El Paso Times.

"We all agreed that first and second grade was still a little too young to leave children unattended," Rubio told El Paso Times.

Under the policy, parents will be required to provide schools with a list of adults who are responsible for the children. Those lists will be shared with bus drivers.

District officials reportedly said they would not allow the children to go home with siblings who are younger than 18.