"Every new one that we purchase, we equip right now in our fleet," McClure said.
Officials with some other districts say school bus passengers are relatively safe without seat belts. Costs and time spent monitoring seat-belt usage are also concerns.
Fayetteville administrators decided in 2016 all newly purchased buses would have seat belts installed. About 31% of the district's 70 buses have seat belts, he said. The district transports about 6,400 students a day.
Arkansas school districts are not required to install seat belts on buses; however, a state law provides a way for communities to compel their local district to do so.