The heart of every school bus is the certified school bus staff, which includes school bus aides. School districts and charter schools rely on school bus staff for successful pupil transportation.

Requirements

To become a Delaware school bus aide, applicants must be at least 18 years of age and satisfactorily complete the following. These requirements apply to all new applicants and for any person whose aide employment has lapsed for more than a year.

  • School bus driver classroom training or any other district-required training
  • Pre-employment drug test
  • Child protection registry check
  • Criminal background affidavit
  • State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) fingerprinting and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal background checks
  • Delaware school bus aide physical with TB screening

Complete an employment application with either a contractor or a school
district.

Have a contractor or district/school submit a Child Protective Registry
registration.

Complete a pre-employment NON-DOT drug test. If working for a contractor,
have them submit the drug test verification form to a district/school. BAT is not
required for pre-employment. The driver must go to one of the approved drug
testing locations.

Go to an approved State Bureau of Identification Site submit to a federal and state
public school employee background check. Individuals are to get a receipt and
turn the receipt into the district/school Transportation Office. The local district’s
Human Resource Office reviews the background check, completes the DE School
Bus Aide Background Clearance Verification Form, and submits it to the
Transportation Office.

Complete School Bus Driver/Aide Affidavit and provide to Transportation
Office (notary required)

Medical Requirement:

  • Have a doctor complete the DDOE School Bus Aide Physical Form
  • Have a TB Test completed and provide results or a letter from a
    physician stating you cannot take the test and are clear of TB.
  • Once the DOE School Bus Aide Physical Form and TB Test Results are
    submitted to the district, a blue physical card will be issued to you

Attend the Department of Education (DOE) 12-hour class in basic school bus driver/aide training. These class are held every month in each county. Please see the training calendar and complete online registration to attend.

Please note, these steps are for guidance only, and the Department of Education is not providing legal advice. The aide is responsible for completing all requirements of the law regardless of whether they are included in this form. If you would like to download a copy of these steps, please see the Requirements and Procedures for Becoming a Certified Aide checklist.

To search the list of applicable forms, please see Pupil Transportation Forms. For a list of Resources as well as Statutes and Regulations, please see School Pupil Transportation.

Training

Aides attend a one day, aid specific training. All training attendees must complete online registration. Training is available in each county. Please review the schedule below and/or download a copy of the training calendar.

Class times are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please do not arrive for training earlier than 8:30 a.m.

New Castle County

New Castle County Vo-Tech Marshallton Center
1703 School Lane, Wilmington, DE 19808

Register for training in New Castle County

Year Month Available Dates
2023 October 5
2023 November 9
2024 January 11
2024 March 7
2024 May 9

Kent County

Collette Education Resource Center
35 Commerce Way, Suite 1, Dover, DE 19904

Register for training in Kent County

Year Month Available Dates
2023 October 26
2023 November 30
2023 December 21
2024 January 31
2024 February 22
2024 March 28
2024 April 25
2024 May 23
2024 June 20 (Revised)

Sussex County

Indian River School District – G.W. Carver Center
30207 Frankford School Road, Frankford, DE 19945

Register for training in Sussex County

Year Month Available Dates
2023 October 19
2023 December 14
2024 February 15
2024 April 11
2024 June 13