Elementary and middle school students living more than two miles from their designated school attendance centers and high school students living more than three miles from their designated attendance centers are entitled to transportation to and from their attendance center at the expense of the school district.

Transportation of students who require special education services will generally be provided as for other students, when appropriate.  Specialized transportation of a student to and from a special education instructional service is a function of that service and, therefore, an appropriate expenditure of special education instructional funds generated through the weighting plan.

Transportation of a student to and from a special education support service is a function of that service, and is specified in the individualized education program (IEP) or the individualized family service plan (IFSP).  When the IEP or IFSP team determines that unique transportation arrangements are required and the arrangements are specified in the IEP or IFSP, the school district will provide one or more of the following transportation arrangements for instructional services and the AEA for support services:

      ∙    Transportation from the student's residence to the location of the special education and back to the student's residence, or child care placement for students below the age of six.

      ∙    Special assistance or adaptations in getting the student to and from and on and off the vehicle, en route to and from the special education.

      ∙    Reimbursement of the actual costs of transportation when by mutual agreement the parents provide transportation for the student to and from the special education.

The school district is not required to provide reimbursement to parents who elect to provide transportation in lieu of agency-provided transportation.

A student may be required, at the board's discretion, to meet a school vehicle without reimbursement up to three-fourths of a mile.  The board may require the parent to transport their children up to two miles to connect with school bus vehicles at the expense of the school district when conditions deem it advisable.  It is within the discretion of the board to determine such conditions.  Parents of students who live where transportation by bus is impracticable or unavailable may be required to furnish transportation to and from the designated attendance center at the expense of the school district.  Parents, who transport their children at the expense of the school district, are reimbursed at the rate per mile set by the state. 

Transportation arrangements made by agreement with a neighboring school district will follow the terms of the agreement.  Students, who choose to attend a school in a school district other than their resident school district, will provide transportation to and from the school at their own expense.

Legal Reference:  20 U.S.C. §§ 1401, 1701 et seq.
                                       34 C.F.R. Pt. 300 et seq.
                                       Iowa Code §§ 256B.4; 285; 321.
                                       281 I.A.C. 41.412.

Cross Reference:  501.16  Homeless Children and Youth
                                       507.8    Student Special Health Services
                                       603.3    Special Education
                                       711        Transportation

Approved August 15, 2022        Reviewed                                Revised                   

Students utilizing school transportation will conduct themselves in an orderly manner fitting to their age level and maturity with mutual respect and consideration for the rights of the school vehicle driver and the other passengers.  Students who fail to behave in an orderly manner will be subject to disciplinary measures.

The driver will have the authority to maintain order on the school vehicle.  It is the responsibility of the driver to report misconduct to the building administrator.

The board supports the use of recording devices on school buses used for transportation to and from school as well as for field trips, curricular or extracurricular events.  The recording devices will be used to monitor student behavior and may be used as evidence in a student disciplinary proceeding.  The recordings are student records subject to school district confidentiality, board policy and administrative regulations.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the building principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding student conduct and discipline when utilizing school district transportation.

NOTE:  This policy reflects the practice of recording devices use on school buses.  If a school district does not use recording devices, the third paragraph should be eliminated.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§ 279.8; 285; 321.

Cross Reference:  503     Student Discipline
                                       506     Student Records
                                       804.6  Use of Recording Devices on School Property

Approved August 15, 2022                    Reviewed                                                                                Revised                   

The board in its discretion may provide school district transportation for extracurricular activities including, but not limited to, transporting student participants and other students to and from extracurricular events.

Students participating or attending extracurricular events, other than those held at the school district facilities, may be transported to the extracurricular event by school district transportation vehicles or by another means approved by the superintendent. 

Students, who are provided transportation in school district transportation vehicles for extracurricular events, will ride both to and from the event in the school vehicle unless arrangements have been made with the building principal prior to the event.  A student's parent may personally appear and request to transport the student home from a school-sponsored event in which the student traveled to the event on a school district transportation vehicle.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation to the board annually as to whether the school district will provide the transportation authorized in this policy.  In making the recommendation to the board, the superintendent will consider the financial condition of the school district, the number of students who would qualify for such transportation, and other factors the board or superintendent deem relevant.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§ 256B.4; 285.1-.4; 321.
                                         281 I.A.C. 41.412.

Cross Reference:  504  Student Activities
                                         711  Transportation

Approved August 15, 2022        Reviewed                                Revised                   

The school district may use school vehicles for transportation to and from summer extracurricular activities.  The superintendent will make a recommendation to the board annually regarding their use.

Transportation to and from the student's attendance center for summer school instructional programs is within the discretion of the board.  It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation regarding transportation of students in summer school instructional programs at the expense of the school district.  In making the recommendation to the board, the superintendent will consider the financial condition of the school district, the number of students involved in summer school programs, and other factors deemed relevant by the board or the superintendent.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code § 285.10
                                         281 I.A.C. 43.10, 412

Cross Reference:  603.2  Summer School Instruction
                                        711     Transportation

Approved August 15, 2022                    Reviewed                                                                                Revised                   

The board has sole discretion to determine the method to be utilized for transporting nonresident and nonpublic students.  Nonresident students paying tuition may be, and resident students attending a nonpublic school accredited by the State Department of Education, will be transported on an established public school vehicle route as long as such transportation does not interfere with resident public students' transportation.  Nonresident and nonpublic school students will obtain the permission of the superintendent prior to being transported by the school district.

Parents of resident students who provide transportation for their children attending a nonpublic school accredited by the Iowa Department of Education will be reimbursed at the established state rate.  This reimbursement is paid only if the school district receives the funds from the state.  If less than the amount of funds necessary to fully reimburse parents of the nonpublic students is received by the school district, the funds will be prorated.

The charge to the nonresident students is determined based on the students' pro rata share of the actual costs for transportation.  The parents of these students are billed for the student's share of the actual costs of transportation.  The billing is according to the schedule developed by the superintendent.  It is the responsibility of the superintendent to determine the amount to be charged and report it to the board secretary for billing.

Continued transportation of nonresident and nonpublic school students on a public school vehicle route will be subject to resident public school students' transportation needs.  The superintendent will make a recommendation annually to the board regarding the method to be used.  In making a recommendation to the board, the superintendent will consider the number of students to be transported, the capacity of the school vehicles, the financial condition of the school district and other factors deemed relevant by the board or the superintendent.

Nonresident and nonpublic school students are subject to the same conduct regulations as resident public students as prescribed by board policy, and to other policies, rules, or regulations developed by the school district regarding transportation of students by the school district.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§ 285.1-.2, .10, .16.

Cross Reference:  711  Transportation

Approved August 15, 2022                    Reviewed                                                                                Revised                   

School district vehicles may be available to local nonprofit entities which promote cultural, educational, civic, community, or recreational activities for transporting to and from nonschool-sponsored activities within the state as long as the transportation does not interfere with or disrupt the education program of the school district and does not interfere with or delay the transportation of students.  The local nonprofit entity must pay the cost of using the school district vehicle as determined by the superintendent.  Prior to making the school district transportation vehicle available to the local nonprofit entity, the "school bus" signs will be covered and the flashing warning lamps and the stop arm made inoperable.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for use of school district transportation vehicles to transport students and others to school-sponsored events within the state and for application for, use of, and payment for using the school district transportation vehicles by local nonprofit entities for a nonschool-sponsored activity.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§ 285.1(21), .10(9), (10).
                                        281 I.A.C. 41.412; 43.10

Cross Reference:  711  Transportation
                                        900  Principles and Objectives for Community Relations

Approved August 15, 2022                    Reviewed                                                                                Revised                   

The school district will conduct school bus safe riding practices instruction and emergency safety drills at least twice during the school year, once in the fall and once in the spring, for students who utilize school district transportation.  Documentation of these safety drills will be maintained by the district for five years and made available upon request.

Each school bus vehicle will have, in addition to the regular emergency safety drill, a plan for helping those students who require special assistance to safety during an emergency. This will include, but not be limited to, students with disabilities.

Employees are responsible for instructing the proper techniques to be followed during an emergency, as well as safe riding practices.  It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code §§ 279.8; 321.
                                        281 I.A.C. 41.412; 43.40.

Cross Reference:  503     Student Discipline
                                        507     Student Health and Well-Being
                                        804.2  Warning Systems and Emergency Plans

Approved August 15, 2022                    Reviewed                                                                                Revised                   

School district buses will not operate when weather conditions due to fog, rain, snow or other natural elements make it unsafe to do so.  Because weather conditions may vary around the school district and may change quickly, the best judgment possible will be used with the information available.

The final judgment as to when conditions are unsafe to operate will be made by the superintendent.  The superintendent will be assisted by the actual "on location" reports of the drivers.

Several drivers each year will be specially designated to report weather and road conditions by bus radio when requested to do so.  Other employees and students will be notified by commercial radio when school is cancelled or temporarily delayed.  When school is cancelled because of weather anywhere in the school district, all schools will be closed.

When weather conditions deteriorate during the day after school has begun, cancellation notices will be announced by commercial radio.  Students will be returned to their regular drop-off sites unless weather conditions prevent it.  In that case, students will be kept at or returned to school until they are picked up by the parents.

Note:  This is a mandatory policy, but the content isn’t.  Boards should amend the policy if necessary to reflect their practices.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code § 279.8

Cross Reference:  601.2  School Day

Approved August 15, 2022                    Reviewed                                                                                Revised                   

The district shall utilize three-point lap-shoulder belts on district school buses as required by state law.  All three-point lap-shoulder belts available on district buses will be used by passengers when the vehicle is in any non-stationary gear.

Note:  All Iowa school districts utilizing school buses must have a policy in place on this topic.  This policy applies even to districts who contract out their bussing services with a third party. 

Legal Reference:  281 I.A.C. 43.10(6)

Cross Reference:  711.7    School Bus Safety Instruction

Approved August 15, 2022                     Reviewed                                             Revised