It is the policy of the Board of Education to provide transportation for those students whose distance from their school makes this service necessary within the limitations established by State law. Such laws and rules shall govern any question not covered by this policy.

School buses shall be purchased and maintained by the Board for the transportation of resident students between their home areas and the schools of the District to which they are assigned or to their nonpublic or community schools. The Superintendent may substitute smaller buses for reasons of economy or efficiency of operation.

Children, kindergarten through 12, living two (2) miles beyond the walking limits shall be entitled to bus transportation.

Exceptions to the foregoing limits may be made in the case of a temporarily or permanently-disabled child who has been so certified by a physician and in the case of adverse safety conditions.

Transportation of eligible vocational or special education children between their home areas and schools outside the District shall be arranged through the use of Board-owned vehicles, through cooperation with other districts, through commercial carriers, and/or by other means in the most efficient and economical manner. The governing authority of a community school shall provide or arrange for transportation free of charge for any eligible special education student enrolled in the community school for whom the student's individualized education program specifies transportation.

Transportation to and from school may be provided for each student residing in the District and attending a State-chartered nonpublic school that is located within the thirty (30) minute travel limitation established by State law on the same basis as established for resident students as set forth above. Chartered nonpublic school students who are transported by the Board may be assigned to ride on buses upon which resident students are also assigned. The Board will transport to non-route stops that are within one mile of the traditional route and do not add more than 5 minutes to the traditional route time.

Furthermore, transportation to and from school shall be provided for each native student (i.e., student entitled to attend school in the District under R.C. 3313.64 or R.C. 3313.65) attending an approved community school. However, if that community school is located outside the District, transportation will only be provided consistent with the thirty (30) minute travel limitation established by State law. Native students attending an approved community school located within the District will be provided transportation on the same basis as established for resident students set forth above. Students transported to an approved community school may be assigned to ride on buses upon which resident students are also assigned.

Transportation of eligible nonpublic or community school children between their home areas and schools shall be arranged through the use of District-owned vehicles, through cooperation with other districts, through commercial carriers, and/or by other means in the most efficient and economical manner. However, if the Board determines that said transportation is impracticable, then the parent(s) shall be provided payment-in-lieu of transportation at the amount established by State law, unless otherwise directed by action of the State Board of Education.

The Board will not be required to provide transportation for any native student enrolled in a community school if the Board has entered into an agreement with the governing authority of the community school that designates the community school as responsible for providing or arranging the transportation of the District's native students to and from the community school and is certified by the State Board of Education as having met certain requirements established by State law. The governing authority of a community school must provide or arrange for transportation in a manner that is comparable to the transportation that the District provides or arranges for its native students of the same grade level and distance from school who are enrolled in the District. Also, the governing authority must provide or arrange for the transportation under such agreement free of charge for each of its enrolled students who are eligible to be transported in accordance with R.C. 3327.01 or who would otherwise be transported by the District under the District's transportation policy. If the Board enters into an agreement with the governing authority regarding the transportation of the District's native students, the State Board of Education shall make payments to the community school in accordance with the terms of the agreement for each student actually transported.

Likewise, the Board will not be responsible for providing transportation for any native student enrolled in an approved community school if the governing authority of the community school submits a written notification to the Board, by a date prescribed by the State Board of Education, stating that the governing authority will accept responsibility for providing or arranging for the transportation of the District's native students to and from the community school. The governing authority's unilateral acceptance of the responsibility to provide transportation must cover the entire school year, and shall remain in effect for subsequent school years unless the governing authority submits written notification to the Board relinquishing the transportation responsibility. However, the governing authority cannot relinquish the transportation responsibility before the end of the school year, and shall submit such notice by a date prescribed by the State Board of Education in order to allow the District a reasonable period of time to prepare for the transportation of its native students enrolled in the community school. If the governing authority unilaterally accepts the transportation responsibility, the State Board of Education shall make payments to the community school for each student actually transported calculated in accordance with existing State law governing the calculation of transportation payments to the District from the State and any rules implemented by the State Board of Education and that otherwise would be paid to the District.

Bus routes shall be established so that an authorized bus stop is available within reasonable walking distance of the home of every transported resident student. The Board shall approve the bus routes annually. The Superintendent is authorized to make any necessary changes in the approved route and shall inform the Board at the next regular meeting.

The Board authorizes the installation and use of video recording devices in the school buses to assist the drivers in providing for the safety and well-being of the students while on a bus.

Students meeting the Federal definition of "homeless" will be transported from their temporary place of residence to their school of assignment, at the request of the parent, guardian or unaccompanied minor, to the same extent as all other students of the District and consistent with this Policy. If the homeless student’s temporary residence is located outside the boundaries of the District, the Liaison for Homeless Children will coordinate with the Director of Transportation to contact the district in which the student temporarily resides to arrange for joint transportation of the student and to seek inter-district agreement on a method for apportioning the cost of such joint transportation. In no event will a homeless student be denied enrollment based on issues related to student transportation.

The Superintendent shall be responsible for developing and implementing appropriate administrative guidelines for this policy.

R.C. 3313.66, 3314.09, 3314.091, 3319.41, 3327.01 et seq., 4511.01 (F)
R.C. 4511.75 et seq.
A.C. 3301-51-10, 3301-83-01 et seq., 3301-83-08
42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.