San Antonio school districts are staring down a pricey new chapter in bus safety as a state law kicks in that requires three-point seat belts on every school bus. Local officials say the sticker shock is real. North East ISD has warned trustees that retrofitting its 399-bus fleet could top roughly $20 million, while Southside ISD says upgrades for its 22 buses would run into the tens of thousands apiece. With districts required to file detailed cost estimates before the end of the school year, boards are scrambling to map out budgets and short-term fixes.
What The Law Requires And The Reporting Deadline
As outlined by the Texas Education Agency, Senate Bill 546 amends state transportation law to require three-point seat belts for every passenger and requires districts that find compliance financially infeasible to document that finding in a public board meeting. TEA guidance directs districts to collect fleet counts, itemized retrofit estimates and board documentation and to submit the details through the agency’s Sentinel portal…..