POLICY: School Bus Transportation

Transportation 9201
Bus Conduct Rules and Disciplinary Procedures

The daily transportation of the district pupils is a privilege accorded by the school system in compliance with statutory requirements. To provide maximum safety, each eligible pupil riding a school bus shall conform to the rules as set forth in Bus Conduct Rules and Disciplinary Procedures. Failure to do so may result in loss of privileges. Transportation will normally be from designated pick-up points to school and vice versa. Upon written request, transportation to child care may be provided if the child care is located on a regular school bus route.

Bus routes and schedules will be examined yearly by the Transportation Supervisor. School buses will operate only on publicly owned and maintained roads. School buses will not operate on roads deemed by the Transportation Supervisor to be hazardous or unsafe for buses.

According to the Statues (16 V.S.A. Section1222), the following factors will be considered when determining routes and stops:

1. Age and Health of students.

2. Distance to be traveled, length of time spent on a bus by any given student.

3. Width, condition and class of highways including curves, hills, intersections, turn-arounds and seasonal road conditions.

Annual changes and adjustments proposed by the Transportation Supervisor shall be reviewed by the superintendent prior to implementation.

If it is the recommendation of the Transportation Supervisor that school bus transportation be discontinued in any given area, a decision will be made by the superintendent. Affected families will be notified in advance in writing when the issue will be on the agenda for discussion. If the superintendent decides to discontinue service, affected families will be notified in writing with a minimum of one week’s notice prior to discontinuation.

In the case of a request by parents to add additional routes, the decision whether or not to do so will be made by the superintendent in consultation with the Transportation Supervisor.

Routes may be adjusted throughout the year by the Transportation Supervisor as necessary to ensure safe and timely transportation of students. Unexpected and exceptional circumstances may cause temporary rerouting of bus routes. In these situations an attempt will be made to notify impacted families as soon as possible.

Exceptions made to established routes will be considered by the superintendent for exceptional physical impairment as pursuant to16 V.S.A., Section 1222.

Bus routes will be submitted for publication in the local newspaper during the week prior to the opening of school.

Parent complaints will be considered by the Transportation Supervisor and the appropriate district principal. If parents are not satisfied with the administrative decision, they may request a meeting with the superintendent. The decision of the superintendent may be appealed, in writing, to the appropriate district school board.

Randolph:
RUHS students living in the village area (map available by request) are ineligible for busing. A temporary waiver may be applied for in writing to the Transportation Coordinator for exceptional circumstances.

Brookfield:

A. RUHS students will receive bus services.

B. Walking distance is one mile and is the same for all ages. The superintendent is solely responsible for all exceptions to the walking distance.

C. The school district may enter into agreements with neighboring districts to transport non-resident children whenever practical and economically feasible.

TRANSPORTATION POLICY FOR PRESCHOOL AND PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS

Children attending the public preschool or a local area private school will be offered school bus transportation only if such transportation can be provided under the following conditions:

  1. Transportation can be provided using established district school bus routes.
  2. Transportation can be provided with no additional cost to the district.
  3. Considering the age, behavior, and physical condition of the child, transportation can be safely provided for that child without additional supervisory support or equipment.
  4. District students in grades kindergarten through twelve will be given priority in planning and determination of transportation needs, followed by public preschool students.
  5. Addition of preschool or private school children to a school bus route will not cause overcrowding of the bus and will be offered and continued on a "seats available" basis only. Parents will be given five (5) days notice if a child must be removed from a bus in order to make room for a regular school district K-12 student. Removal will be by lottery conducted by the Transportation Supervisor.
  6. All students riding school buses, including preschool and private school students, are subject to the disciplinary policies and rules of the district.
  7. Preschool children must be met at the bus stop by a parent or designated responsible adult. If the child is not met at the bus stop, the child will be returned to the preschool. Failure to meet a preschool child at the bus stop will result in school bus transportation being discontinued for that child.

NOTE: Only these three boards provide transportation.

Braintree Elementary School Warned (4/14/04 , 5/19/04) Adopted (8/18/04) Revised (6/18/08)
Brookfield Elementary School Warned (4/13/04 , 5/11/04) Adopted (8/10/04) Revised (6/3/08)
Randolph Elementary School Warned (4/1/04 , 5/6/04) Adopted (8/9/04)

Revised ( 2/7/08)
Revised (6/5/08)

Legal Reference(s): 16 V.S.A. §§1221, 1222 (Student transportation)
  16 V.S.A. §1551 (Technical center transport)