6600 Transportation
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The district may provide transportation to and from school for a student:
- Whose residence is beyond the one mile radius from the school to which the student is assigned;
- Whose walking route to school is hazardous;
- Whose disability prevents them from walking or providing for their own welfare while walking; or,
- Who has another compelling and legally sufficient reason to receive transportation services. The parent or guardian of a student whose assigned bus stop is beyond the maximum walking distance may receive reimbursement for private transportation at the state mileage reimbursement rate.
Each year the superintendent shall present to the board the number of students who are transported who live within the minimum distance of their schools and for whom there appears sufficient justification for the district to provide transportation. In this report, the superintendent shall also provide the reasons why each of these students is transported.
The district's transportation program shall comply in all ways with state law and regulation. Transportation services of the district may include approved bus routes, district-approved field trips, school activities (participants only) and extracurricular activities (rooters). The superintendent is authorized to permit a parent of a student enrolled in school to ride a bus when excess seating is available and private or other public transportation is not reasonably available.
The Board of Directors may authorize children attending an approved private school to ride a school bus provided that the bus route and stops are not altered, space is available, and a fee to cover the per seat cost for such transportation is collected.
Routes and Schedules
The superintendent or their designee shall be responsible for scheduling bus transportation, including the determination of routes and bus stops as well as overseeing the transportation program. The purpose of bus scheduling and routing is to achieve maximum service with a minimum fleet of buses insofar as this is consistent with rendering safe and reasonably equal service to all students entitled to such service. The board may authorize the use of a district-owned passenger car in lieu of a bus for transporting students to and from school.
In order to operate the transportation system as safely and efficiently as possible, the following factors shall be considered in establishing bus routes:- Where an alternate route may be considered without sacrifice of efficiency or economy, preference shall be given to that route more directly serving the largest number of students.
- Location of bus stops may be determined by such factors as student safety, economy and efficiency. Students may be required to walk up to one mile from their home to their bus stop provided that the walking route is safe.
- School schedules shall be adjusted to allow maximum utilization of each bus in the system by alternating elementary and secondary trips.
The district shall apply for state transportation apportionment funds and shall maintain the records required to obtain such funding.
Emergency Routes and Schedules
The district shall develop emergency bus routes and schedules to be used when weather conditions make the usual routes impassable or, in the superintendent's judgment, too hazardous. At the beginning of the school year, copies of emergency routes and schedules shall be distributed to parents with instructions on how to obtain emergency information.
If roads are closed to buses but not to private vehicles, the district may continue to operate the instructional programs of the schools without providing bus transportation until the roads are again open to buses.
Legal References:
RCW 28A.160. Student Transportation
28A.160.020 Authorization for private school students to ride buses - Conditions
28A.160.030 Authorizing individual transportation or other arrangements
WAC 392-141 Transportation – State allocation for operations
392-172-204 Transportation (Special Education)
392-172-035 Definitions of “free appropriate, public education,” “adult student,” “special education student,” “parent,” and “public agency”
ADOPTED: 03/27/1997
REVISED: 04/23/98; 03/23/06
Procedure No. 6600P Transportation
Routes and Schedules
Route Guidelines
Routes should be established so as to:- Avoid, whenever possible, left-hand turns when entering or exiting high speed roadways.
- Avoid students crossing a four-lane road.
- Minimize stopping on multi-lane roads, unless the bus can get completely off the road.
- Avoid, if possible, crossing railroad tracks.
- Provide transportation to students who live within the distance specified for state funding from school or who would have to walk on a roadway declared unsafe by the board.
- Deliver students to their school no more than thirty (30) minutes before school starts. NOTE: It is desired that students arrive at school within five (5) to ten (10) minutes of starting time.
- Pick up students at school within five (5) minutes of dismissal, unless a delay is caused by a double run, or another guideline. In that case, students should be picked up within no more than thirty (30) minutes.
- Allow for a minimum "dead head" time between and to runs and no more than fifteen (15) minutes standby time between runs, provided that unless approved by the superintendent, all waiting time shall be on school property.
- Avoid travel on dead end roads, unless it is necessary within these guidelines and there is an ample, safe area in which a bus can turn around, without backing.
- Fill each bus to rated capacity, provided that it is economically feasible and within the other routing guidelines.
- Have minimum overlap or duplication in bus routes serving the same school.
- Avoid, whenever possible, travel on private roads, drives or property and on unimproved roads (not surfaced to county/city standards) or roads which are in such bad condition as to cause damage to a bus.
Bus Stop Guidelines
Bus stops shall be established which:- Are frequent enough so students do not have to walk more than one (1) mile to and from the bus. Bus stops may be more frequent when the road has been declared unsafe for walking.
- Are located where students can stand a safe distance from the road.
- Allow, where possible, the bus to get completely off of the road.
- Provide at least 500 feet of unobstructed visibility, both ways, unless permission is granted by the State Patrol.
- Require as few students as possible to cross roadways, with no students crossing multiple lane roads and highways.
- Are located where no damage is likely to occur to private property and where the number of students waiting does not create unsafe conditions and/or situations.
ADOPTED: 04/23/1998
6000 Policies
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FINANCIAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
6000 Program Planning, Budget Preparation, Adoption and Implementation
6001 Tax Deferred Annuity/Compensation
6020 System of Funds and Accounts
6021 Interfund Loans
6022 Minimum Fund Balance
6030 Financial Reports
6040 Expenditures in Excess of Budget
6070 Employee Suggestion Program
REVENUES
6100 Revenues from Local, State and Federal Sources
6101 Federal Cash and Financial Management
6102 District Fund-Raising Activities
6106 Allowable Costs for Federal Programs
6111 Tuition
6112 Rental or Lease of District Property
6114 Gifts or Donations
6120 Investment of Funds
6121 Personal Checks - Acceptance and Processing
PURCHASING
6210 Purchasing: Authorization and Control
6212 Charge Cards
6213 Reimbursement for Travel Expenses
6215 Voucher Certification and Approval
6216 Reimbursement for Goods and Services: Warrants
6220 Bid Requirements
6225 Use of Electronic Signature
6230 Relations with Vendors
6250 Cellular Telephones
RISK MANAGEMENT
6500 Risk Management
6511 Staff Safety
6512 Infection Control Program
6513 Workplace Violence Prevention
6530 Insurance
6535 Student Insurance
6540 Staff Personal Property Protection
6570 Property and Data Management
6580 Continuity of Operations Plan
TRANSPORTATION
6600 Transportation
6605 Student Safety Walking, Biking and Riding Buses to School
6608 Video Cameras on School Buses
6610 Video surveillance
6620 Special Transportation
6625 Private Vehicle Transportation
6630 Driver Training and Responsibility
6640 School Owned Vehicles
6690 Contracting for Transportation Services
FOOD SERVICES
6700 Nutrition and Physical Fitness
SCHOOL PROPERTY
6800 Safety, Operations and Maintenance of School Property
6801 Capital Assets/Theft-Sensitive Assets
6810 Energy Management, Education and Conservation
6881 Disposal of Surplus Equipment and/or Materials
6882 Sale of Real Property
6883 Closure of Facilities
6890 State Environmental Policy Act Compliance
6895 Pesticide Notification, Posting and Record Keeping
CAPITAL PROJECTS
6900 Facilities Planning
6905 Site Acquisition
6910 Construction Financing
6920 Construction Design
6925 Architect and Engineering Services
6950 Contractor Assurances, Surety Bonds and Insurance
6955 Maintenance of Records
6959 Acceptance of Completed Project
6970 Naming of Schools/Facilities
6971 Works of Art