Whitney Downard / The Meridian StarMetro Ambulance paramedics treat eight injured children on a Metro Ambulance bus outfitted to hold 12 stretchers. Eight children with minor injuries rode on the bus. 

An accident involving two school buses last week has the Lauderdale County School District searching for answers and attempting to determine the cost of fixing the two buses involved.

“We haven’t heard from either drug test or about the sheriff department’s investigation,” Randy Hodges, the district’s superintendent, said. 

A drug test is mandatory after a crash, according to school policy.

A bus carrying high school students form Northeast hit the back of another bus carrying Northeast Elementary School students on Friday afternoon. Several children suffered minor injuries and had to receive medical attention. 

Hodges said he met with elementary school principals Wednesday morning to discuss whether or not improvements needed to be made to busing.

The driver of the high school bus has been placed on paid administrative leave while the district investigates the accident, Hodges said. 

A substitute bus driver is driving the students on their normal route home from school, Hodges said. 

According to Larry Vick, the district’s transportation director, neither damaged bus is operating. On Friday, the second bus had to be towed from the scene. 

“We will have to do some work on the buses,” Vick said, adding that the district hasn’t determined the cost of fixing the buses yet. “We are in the process of seeing what we need to do.”