Bus driver fired after Crowley ISD pre‑K student left on bus and found alone in transportation lot, officials say

A pre‑K Crowley ISD student was left on a school bus and later found alone in the district's transportation lot, prompting the district and its bus contractor to fire the driver and launch a review of safety procedures.

In a joint statement, the district and Durham School Services called the incident a "serious breakdown" of required safety checks.

"The student should never have been left alone," Crowley ISD and the bus contractor said.

The child remained on the bus after morning drop‑off and was discovered by a Durham employee, who ensured the student was safe. Medical staff evaluated the child and contacted the family, the district said.

Crowley ISD said the bus driver did not follow child‑check procedures and was terminated.

The district and Durham are conducting a full review of transportation safety, retraining staff, and requiring all transportation employees to re‑acknowledge child‑check protocols before returning to work. The district said it is also considering additional oversight measures.

"We are grateful the student was located safely," the joint statement said. "While the investigation is ongoing, we remain committed to identifying all contributing factors and implementing any corrective actions necessary to help prevent this from ever happening again."

CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.