The National Congress on School Transportation (NCST) Steering Committee is preparing for the 17th Congress, which will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, May 3-7, 2025, after having to postpone their 2021 meeting due to the pandemic.

The changes approved at each National Congress on School Transportation are cataloged in the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures (NSTSP) Manual.

The job of researching suggested changes to the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures (NSTSP) falls to the assigned NCST Writing Committees.

Those committees are now up and running.

If you are not serving on a committee and believe you may be qualified as a subject matter expert, please email Patrick McManamon, NCST chairman, for assistance.

In addition, the NCST is now accepting change requests from any interested party. All change requests must be made on the 2025 Change Request Form. The deadline for submission of change requests is March 1, 2024.

All requests must be submitted by that date in accordance with the form instructions to allow the writing committees time to review and properly research the proposals before the 2025 Congress.

Under the Congress’ procedures, the writing committee chairs must notify all persons submitting change requests of the status of their respective requests following the committees’ deliberations and decisions.

This feedback to submitters must occur well prior to the on-site Congress.

The process for each state to announce its state delegation representatives will be announced next spring by each of the sponsoring organizations.

Meanwhile, please submit any proposals for changes to the NSTSP with the required rationale and background information, visit the website, and stay tuned for further information.