Student Transportation - Program Supervisor

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 82,000 - 97,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible/alternative work schedules

Telework options

Infant at Work Program

Job summary

The State of Washington seeks a Student Transportation Program Supervisor in Olympia for a full-time, permanent role. Onboarding requires five days in the office; after onboarding you may move to a 3 in-office/2 telework hybrid, with possible future adjustments by leadership.

This is not fully remote and involves in-office commitments based on agency needs. OSPI emphasizes equity, training, and high educational standards.

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in government administration, accounting, or business OR completion of the CWU Pupil Transportation Management Training Program with three years of supervisory experience.
• Seven or more years of management experience in student transportation.
• Direct involvement with transportation funding (operations and depreciation).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; advanced Excel knowledge.
• Detail oriented, organized, and able to multitask.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Must reside in Washington state.
• Occasional travel with minimal overnight stays.

Responsibilities

• Calculate and ensure the accuracy of school district bus reimbursements.
• Update vehicle categories and prices in the depreciation system; manage bus entries.
• Track school bus inspection results with the Washington State Patrol.
• Approve Traffic Safety Education programs and support districts with requirements.
• Collaborate with licensing agencies on regulatory changes affecting schools.

Skills

Leadership experience

Strong communication

Independent and team work

Education

Bachelor's degree in government administration, accounting, or business

Pupil Transportation Management Training Program (Central Washington University)

Tools

Excel

Microsoft Office

Job description

WASHINGTON MANAGEMENT SERVICE

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Student Transportation - Program Supervisor

$82,487 - $97,050 annually

Closes September 18,2026

The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seeks to fill the Student Transportation Program Supervisor position. This full-time permanent position is based in Olympia, Washington. This position may be eligible for partial telework. During your onboarding period, you will be expected to work in the office 5 days per week to support training and team integration. Upon successful completion of onboarding, you may transition to a hybrid schedule of 3 days in the office and 2 days of telework, subject to business needs and Supervisor approval. After becoming established in the role and demonstrating consistent performance, the opportunity to transition to 2 days in the office may be considered. This is not a fully remote position, and in-office requirements may be adjusted based on organizational needs. We encourage interested candidates to visit the OSPI website to gain insight into our agency.

About OSPI and our initiatives

OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K–12 education in Washington state. Working with the state's 295 public school districts and 7 state-tribal education compact schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education.

• We support a healthy work/life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules and mobile and telework options. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We have an Infant at Work Program that is based on long-term values of newborns and infant-parent bonding. Eligible employees who are new parents or legal guardians can bring their infant (six weeks to six months) when returning to work. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We value and are actively involved in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within OSPI by way of cross-divisional, collaborative committee. The focus of the committee includes employee engagement and education; reinforcing OSPI values; and maximizing the value of diversity and identifying strategies for inclusion.

At OSPI, we recognize that our employees are the key to the success of the agency. We are committed to our work but value the balance with our personal lives. We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth and values them for their expertise. OSPI is a great place to work and has several initiatives to help create a great working environment, including:

Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision: All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.

Mission: Transform K-12 education to a system that is centered on closing opportunity gaps and is characterized by high expectations for all students and educators. We achieve this by developing equity-based policies and supports that empower educators, families, and communities.

Values: Ensuring Equity, Collaboration and Service, Achieving Excellence through Continuous Improvement, Focus on the Whole Child

Equity

Each student, family, and community possesses strengths and cultural knowledge that benefits their peers, educators, and schools. Ensuring educational equity:

• Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine the ways current policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color, students living in poverty, students receiving special education and English Learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and highly mobile student populations.
• Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts; engage students, families, and community representatives as partners in decision-making; and actively dismantle systemic barriers, replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools.

Position Overview

The Student Transportation Program Supervisor determines funding associated with the state support of school district transportation programs, including calculation of the operations allocation, school bus depreciation payments, and calculation of the funding impacts of audit corrections. The program supervisor has primary responsibility for administering the student transportation funding system. The position is critical to the ability of the agency to support school district's student transportation programs that are adequately funded and operating in a manner that provides every student access to school in a safe, efficient, and reliable manner.

Key Responsibilities

School Bus Reimbursement Systems (Depreciation):

• Independently calculates and ensures the accuracy of school district school bus reimbursement, including the use of advanced expertise of school bus categories to ensure the proper placement of newly purchased school buses into the correct school bus reimbursement system.
• Updates the yearly vehicle categories and prices in the school bus depreciation application, as well as adding and deleting school buses from the same application. Expertise in the calculation process is required to ensure the correct calculation of pro-rated payments due to school districts for the sale of school buses currently on the replacement system.

School Bus Inspection:

• Tracks the school bus inspection results conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Division of the Washington State Patrol (WSP).

Traffic Safety Education Program Approval:

• Responsible for the approval of all public school district Traffic Safety Education programs.
• Provide guidance and technical support to school districts on traffic safety education approvals, qualifications, training, certification, and curriculum.
• Work closely with Department of Licensing to ensure legislative changes affecting young driver education are feasible and defined for public schools.

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in government administration, accounting, or business, OR
  Completion of the Pupil Transportation Management Training Program at Central Washington University and three years of student bus transportation supervisory experience.
• Seven or more years of experience in the student transportation industry in a management position (includes non-director positions).
• Direct operational involvement with student transportation funding (operations and depreciation) and their applications.
• Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications is essential, with advanced working knowledge of Excel.
• Detail oriented, organized, and able to multitask.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Must reside of in the state of Washington as a condition of employment
• Occasional travel to attend meetings, trainings, events (minimal overnight stay)

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge of federal and state regulations pertaining to student transportation and traffic safety education.
• Successful completion of the School Bus Driver Instructor Training Course.
• Working knowledge of the STARS application and funding formula.

Compensation

The annual compensation for the position is $82,487-$97,050 per year and depends upon experience, educational background and qualifications. Geographic differentials may be applied based on work location of successful candidate. Washington State offers a generous benefit package including health, dental and life insurance, retirement and an optional deferred compensation program. Please visit Health Care Authority for information regarding health benefits and the Department of Retirement Systems for retirement plan information. This position serves at the pleasure of the Superintendent and is Civil Service Exempt. This position is not represented by a bargaining unit.

OSPI is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from job seekers who will contribute to our diversity. OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. If you would like, please include your name and gender pronouns in your application, to ensure we address you appropriately throughout the application process.