Interpretation ID: 19744.drn
Peggy A. Ford, Esq.
Vice President and General Counsel
La Petite Academy
14 Corporate Woods
8717 W. 110th St., Suite 300
Overland Park, KS 66210
Dear Ms. Ford:
This responds to your request for an interpretation of "'preschooler,' including the age group which is considered 'preschooler.'" The term "pre-school" is used in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) February 1999 Guideline for the Safe Transportation of Pre-school Age Children in School Buses.
For purposes of the Guideline, we use the term "pre-school" as it is defined in the Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary, Special Second Edition, 1996: "of, pertaining to or intended for a child between infancy and school age." Thus, as defined in the Random House Dictionary, "pre-school age" or "pre-schooler" would refer to a "child below the official school starting age, usually a child up to age five."
I hope this information is helpful. I am enclosing a copy of NHTSA's Guideline for the Safe Transportation of Pre-school Age Children in School Buses. For more information about the safety features of a school bus, I am enclosing NHTSA's publication: "School Bus Safety: Safe Passage for America's Children." If you have any further questions about the Guideline, please contact Ms. Diane Wigle of NHTSA's Office of Traffic Safety Programs by telephone at (202) 366-4301.
Sincerely,
Frank Seales, Jr.
Chief Counsel
Enclosures
ref:VSA#571.3
d.4/7/99