(1) A driver of a school bus transporting passengers shall have in his or her possession a certificate stating that he or she has enrolled in the entry level school bus safety education course or has successfully completed a course in school bus safety education within the immediately preceding 2 years. The entry level course shall be available to the school bus driver within 90 days of enrollment. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, enrollment certificates shall expire 10 days after the end of the entry level course in which the driver is enrolled. A second enrollment certificate shall not be issued. If a person completes the entry level school bus safety education course after June 30 of any given year and before completing the subsequent 6-hour continuing education course, the duration of the entry level certificate may be extended to the completion of the next available subsequent 6-hour continuing education course. The entry level course and subsequent 6-hour continuing education course shall be approved by the superintendent of public instruction and shall be provided by an approved educational agency. The certificate of successful completion of each course shall be prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction and successfully completed by an instructor of the course. Failure to successfully complete the entry level course or to complete the 6-hour continuing education course within 2 years after certification of successful completion of a prior course shall be reported by the instructional agency to the department of education and to the school which employs the driver. A driver who fails to successfully complete the entry level course within 90 days after enrollment or to meet the continuing education requirements shall not be permitted to drive a school bus transporting passengers.

    (2) The person or persons in charge of school bus operations at a school shall have, at a minimum, successfully completed a training program in his or her first year serving as the person or persons in charge of the operation. The person or persons in charge of school bus operations at a school shall successfully complete 6 hours of supervisory continuing education every 2 years after the successful completion of a training program. The superintendent of public instruction shall approve all training programs required of a person or persons in charge of school bus operations at a school, and those training programs shall be provided by an approved educational agency.

    (3) The cost of any course instruction and the base rate of compensation of the driver shall be reimbursed by the state on an equal basis for public and nonpublic schools as provided for by the department of education. Attendance by a person at an entry level course, a continuing education course, or an on-road driver skills test as required by this section or section 52 shall be considered compensable work time by the school and the person shall be paid at not less than their base rate as determined by their individual contract of employment or their contractual rate as negotiated between the school and the person’s collective bargaining representative.

    (4) The legislature shall appropriate the funds necessary to implement this section.