The Board may approve by vote the installation and operation of school bus safety cameras on District school buses to detect violations of § 304.050, RSMo. The District is not required to implement a school bus safety camera program. If the Board approves a program, the District will operate it in accordance with § 160.3300, RSMo, and this Policy.

For purposes of this Policy, a “school bus safety camera” means a device affixed to a school bus that records photographs, microphotographs, or electronic images of the front or rear of a vehicle when the vehicle is detected for a violation of § 304.050, RSMo. This Policy does not govern interior bus cameras, systems used to monitor student conduct, global positioning systems, general security cameras, or other recording equipment that is not used as a school bus safety camera under § 160.3300.

Images and video captured by a school bus safety camera may be used for enforcement of § 304.050 and may be provided to law enforcement or a prosecuting attorney as permitted by law. The District will not issue traffic citations based on the recordings. The recordings will not be used by the District or another political subdivision as part of an automated camera system designed to detect traffic violations and issue citations.

The District must permanently delete any image or video captured by a school bus safety camera that is not used to enforce § 304.050 no later than 180 days after capture. This provision does not require the District to retain unused recordings for 180 days. Recordings used for enforcement or otherwise subject to a lawful preservation requirement will be retained and disposed of in accordance with applicable law.

The District will limit access to and disclosure of school bus safety camera recordings in accordance with applicable law. A recording will not be treated as a student education record solely because it was captured by a school bus safety camera; however, any recording that constitutes an education record or is otherwise confidential will be handled in accordance with applicable confidentiality requirements.

The Superintendent or designee may administer the program and, when authorized by the Board and consistent with District purchasing requirements, contract with a vendor for equipment or services. Any vendor arrangement must preserve District access to and control of District recordings and require compliance with applicable use, deletion, confidentiality, and disclosure requirements. A vendor may not use District recordings to issue or cause the automatic issuance of traffic citations.