The Board of Education believes that the transportation of students by the District is of significant benefit to the educational process, and authorizes the District to provide publicly-funded transportation to and from school for those students of any age whose distance from their school falls within the limitations of student eligibility for such service established by State law. The District shall provide such transportation in accordance with State law, the regulations of the State Board of Education and the policies of this Board.

As required by law governing the transportation of resident students attending State-approved nonpublic schools, the Board shall provide transportation for such students, on the same basis as it provides transportation for public school children, between home area and the nearest State-approved nonpublic school available where the student may be admitted, even if that school is located outside of the bounds of this District.

The Board believes that safety and the elimination of hazards is of utmost importance in any school transportation program, and requires that the safety of students walking to and from school shall be considered in the determination of which students shall be permitted to ride to and from school on District vehicles.

For students to ride a District vehicle is a privilege which may be revoked for any student who violates any rule of a Student Code of Conduct while riding in or on a District Vehicle, or who violates any other rule or guideline pertaining to transportation.

In accordance with these policies the Superintendent shall be responsible for the determination and designation of all students who are eligible to ride school vehicles.

The Board reserves the right to terminate transportation services based upon financial, legal or other considerations. In the financial operations of the District the budgeting of expenses for the academic program(s) of the schools shall always take priority over expenses for transportation.

Required transportation of eligible vocational or special education students between their home and schools outside the District shall be furnished through the use of District owned vehicles, or may be arranged without the use of District vehicles through cooperation with other districts, through the use of commercial carriers and/or by other means in such a manner as to practice efficiency and economy.