A recent city audit uncovered significant lapses in the screening process for Pre-K 4 SA bus drivers in San Antonio, casting a shadow over the program amidst a series of vehicular mishaps. The audit, which was made public on April 4th, revealed that the early childhood initiative failed to adequately confirm its drivers met necessary qualifications, such as having up-to-date background checks and proper licensing. This scrutiny arose after two Pre-K 4 SA buses were involved in high-profile crashes earlier in the month, reports San Antonio Report.

In the most recent incident, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office confirmed the death of an SUV driver who collided with a Pre-K 4 SA school bus on a West Side highway. The event, spurred by road rage, saw the SUV indiscriminately speeding and weaving through traffic before the fatal interaction with the bus, which was empty at the time. The bus was en route to pick up students for a field trip when the accident occurred last Wednesday, as cited by Express News.

The school program has since initiated corrective measures. On March 28, Pre-K 4 SA CEO Sarah Baray and Assistant City Manager Alex Lopez signed a corrective action plan stipulating the Human Resources Department would begin to directly perform background checks for the bus service's drivers. Furthermore, Texas Department of Family Services clearance is now required for all drivers, a step marked as completed on March 4, according to the same action plan.

While the safety and emergency procedures have been deemed sufficient, the audit mandated better controls to guarantee that all driver qualifications are effectively met. In response to the audit, the city council's Audit Committee is set to discuss the findings on Tuesday. Although Pre-K 4 SA has not offered comment on this latest road incident, their previous crashes, including one due to hydroplaning carrying 39 children and eight teachers, miraculously resulted in no serious injuries.