KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The School District of Osceola County has implemented new safety changes for the 2024-2025 school year. 

What You Need To Know

  • Starting Monday, the Osceola County School District will conduct routine random searches in grades 6 to 12
  • Student riding the bus will also have to scan their student IDs to get on and off the bus
  • The school district is also using GPS technology to track their 250 buses

One of the new measures will require students to scan their school IDs while getting on and off the bus. To know when students scan their IDs to get on or off the bus, Parents can download the Here Comes the Bus app, which can send them real-time alerts.

District officials said offering access to Here Comes the Bus helps school officials keep track of who is riding the bus and reassures parents that their child is safe.

The school district is also using GPS technology to track the dozens of buses. Officials say another useful app available to parents, Bus Bulletin, notifies parents, school administration and district officials about potential route delays.

Another safety measure the school district has implemented is random searches for grades six through 12.

Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff said the random searches of students’ belongings will occur regularly. School officials said the goal is to create a safer learning environment inside schools.

Starting Monday, an electronic randomizer will select a classroom or class period for the routine searches, where school administration will search students’ bookbags, lunchboxes and even purses, using handheld metal detectors.

Shanoff said it’s a proactive step to discourage, and prevent, students from bringing banned items like weapons or drugs to school.

“The random searches are going to be a deterrent most of all," Shanoff said. "Or, students who may need to check their bag once or twice before they actually come to school — it may also be that a student who may think that they’re coming to school with something that they shouldn’t, they’ll think twice.”

Shanoff said that even with the new security measures in place, students should come to school ready to listen and learn.

“To our students: I want to let you know that the experience in school is what you make of it," Shanoff said. "So we want you to come to school ready to learn. Today is day one, but tomorrow is another day one, and then we will have day one every single day throughout the entire school year. So day one is about bringing your best version of yourself every single day.”