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.

NOTE:  This policy reflects the legal requirements of transportation.  Boards may expand transportation eligibility and, if so, the school district's practice should be reflected in board policy.

Legal Reference:           20 U.S.C. §§ 1401, 1701 et seq. (2010).

                                    34 C.F.R. Pt. 300 et seq. (2010).

                                    Iowa Code §§ 256B.4; 285; 321 (2013).

                                    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     1/20/86                  Reviewed    11/22/22               Revised     6/18/14              

Policy 711.2 STUDENT CONDUCT ON SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION

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.

After  3  warnings for bad conduct, the building principal will have the authority to suspend transportation privileges of the student or impose other appropriate discipline.

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     12/13/71                  Reviewed    11/22/22                   Revised     8/23/21             

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 in 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, shall ride both to and from the event in the school vehicle unless arrangements have been made with the building principal prior to the event. Student supervision is the responsibility of that activity sponsor. 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 shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation to the board annually as to whether the school district shall provide the transportation authorized in this policy.  In making the recommendation to the board, the superintendent shall 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 (2013).

    281 I.A.C. 41.98; 43.

Cross Reference:    504    Student Activities

    711    Transportation

Approved     12/13/71                  Reviewed   11/22/22                   Revised     7/17/24             

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

Transportation to and from the student's attendance center for summer school instructional programs will be within the discretion of the board.  It shall be 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 (2013).

    281 I.A.C. 43.10.

Cross Reference:    603.2    Summer School Instruction

    711    Transportation

Approved     12/13/71                  Reviewed    11/22/22                   Revised     7/17/24              

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 shall 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 shall be 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 shall 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 shall be billed for the student's share of the actual costs of transportation. The billing is according to the schedule developed by the superintendent.  It shall be 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 shall 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 shall be 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 (2013).

Cross Reference:    711    Transportation

Approved     4/09/01                  Reviewed   11/22/22           Reviewed    6/18/14            

Only in unusual circumstances will the board make school district transportation vehicles available to local nonprofit entities which promote cultural, educational, civic, community, or recreational activities for transporting to and from non-school-sponsored activities in the state.

In the event school district transportation vehicles are made available to local nonprofit entities, it shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for application for, use of, and payment for using the school district transportation vehicles.

Legal Reference:    Iowa Code §§ 285.1(21), .10(9), (10) (2013).

    281 I.A.C. 43.10.

Cross Reference:    711    Transportation

    900    Principles and Objectives for Community Relations

Approved     1/12/81                  Reviewed     11/22/22       Revised     12/19/12              

The school district shall conduct school bus safe riding practices instruction and emergency safety drills 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 shall 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 shall include, but not be limited to, students with disabilities.

School district vehicle drivers are required to attend each safety drill.

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

Legal Reference:    Iowa Code §§ 279.8; 321

    281 I.A.C. 43.40.

Cross Reference:    503    Student Discipline

    507    Student Health and Well-Being

    804.2    Warning Systems and Emergency Plans

Approved      4/09/01                 Reviewed    1-15-20                Reviewed    1-15-20    

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" decisions and 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 drivers 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.

Legal Reference:    Iowa Code § 279.8 (2013).

Cross Reference:    601.2    School Day

Approved          4/9/01             Reviewed  11/22/22       Reviewed     6/18/14