Elementary and middle school students living more than two miles from their designated school attendance center and high school students living more than three miles from their designated attendance center shall receive transportation to and from their attendance center at the expense of the school district. It shall be within the sole discretion of the Board to provide transportation without charge to students living less than the prescribed miles from their attendance center.

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  

                                603.3    Special Education

                                711       Transportation

 

Approved 10/20/11     Reviewed   11/16/22             Revised   11/16/22            

Students utilizing school transportation shall 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 shall have the authority to maintain order on the school vehicle.  It shall be 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 multiple warnings for bad conduct, the building principal will have the authority to suspend transportation privileges of the student or impose other appropriate discipline.

It shall be 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.

 Legal Reference:    Iowa Code §§ 279.8; 285; 321 (1995). 

 

 Cross Reference:    503  Student Discipline 

                                506  Student Records

  
Approved 10/20/11     Reviewed   11/16/22             Revised  11/16/22           

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.  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 (1995).   

                                281 I.A.C. 41.8; 43.

 

Cross Reference:    504    Student Activities

                                711    Transportation

    
 

Approved 10/20/11     Reviewed   11/16/22             Revised   11/16/22          

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 shall 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 shall 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 (1995).   

                                281 I.A.C. 43.10.

 

Cross Reference:    603.2  Summer School Instruction

                                 711    Transportation

 

Approved 10/20/11     Reviewed   11/16/22             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 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 shall be 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 shall be 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 shall 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 (1995). 

 

 Cross Reference:    711  Transportation 

Approved 10/20/11     Reviewed   11/16/22             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 shall be covered and the flashing warning lamps and the stop arm made inoperable.

It shall be 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 activities.

 Legal Reference:    Iowa Code §§ 285.1(21), .10(9), (10) (1995).

                                  281 I.A.C. 43.10.

 

Cross Reference:    711  Transportation

                                900  Principles and Objectives for Community Relations   

Approved 10/20/11     Reviewed   11/16/22             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. 

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 Transportation Coordinator 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 10/20/11     Reviewed   11/16/22             Revised   11/16/22          

The North-Linn Board of Directors recognizes that there will be times when fog, rain, snow, ice or other natural conditions may hinder operation of the North-Linn Community School District buses. Accordingly, the following procedures will be utilized.

    1.  It will be the responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools or designee to make the final decision as to when

    the North-Linn Schools will be closed due to adverse weather conditions.  If it is necessary to close any school

   within the North-Linn School District due to adverse weather conditions, then all attendance centers within the

   North-Linn Community School District will be closed.

    2.  The Transportation Director, after conferring with individual bus drivers, will designate alternative drop and

    pick-up points for each bus route in the event that adverse conditions exist along the regular route.

    3.  A list of the alternative drop or pick-up points as determined in (2) above will be provided to each family    

    utilizing school transportation for the route affected.  The decision as to when to utilize the alternative drop or

    pick-up schedule rests with the regular driver of the affected route.

    4.  If time permits, the regular driver of the route affected by adverse weather conditions will notify the parents, by

    telephone or "telephone tree" when the alternative drop - pick-up schedule is to be used unless the adverse

    weather conditions are general throughout the District.

    5.  In the event a bus driver at any point during his or her assigned route determines that existing conditions

    prevent the driver from continuing his or her route, the driver shall, at the earliest opportunity, contact the

    Director of  Transportation.  Upon receipt of this notice, parents of the affected riders shall be notified in a

    manner best suited to the situation, and plans shall be made for the temporary management of all students

    involved until conditions are sufficiently improved to allow the driver to continue.

    6.  When adverse conditions exist prior to the beginning of a school day, and either a temporary delay appears

    necessary or it has been determined to cancel school for that day, students and parents shall be notified by

    commercial radio, television stations, and e-mail alert as early as possible on that day.

    7.  Should adverse weather conditions develop during a school day and it has been determined that school shall  

    be dismissed early, students and parents will be notified by website, text alert and television.

Approved 10/20/11     Reviewed   11/16/22            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.

Legal Reference:      281 I.A.C. 43.10(6)

 

I.A.C. Iowa Administrative Code           Description

281 I.A.C. 43.10                                   Transportation - Permitted Uses

Cross Reference:    711.7     School Bus Safety Instruction

 

Approved _11-19-19______   Reviewed      11/16/22    Revised     11/16/22