Elementary and middle school students living more than two (2) miles from their designated school attendance centers and high school students living more than three (3) miles from their designated attendance centers are entitled to transportation to and from their attendance center at the expense of the 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 or IDEA federal funds designated for special education purposes.
Transportation of a student to and from a special education support service is a function of that service, and shall be 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 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 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 (3/4) of a mile. The Board may require the parent to transport their children up to two (2) miles to connect with school bus vehicles at the expense of the 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 District. Parents, who transport their children at the expense of the school district, are reimbursed at the rate per mile established by the state.
Transportation arrangements made by agreement with a neighboring District will follow the terms of the agreement. Students, who choose to attend a school in a District other than their resident school district, will provide transportation to and from the school at their own expense.
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Approved: 9/17/72 |
Reviewed: 2/11/19 |
Revised: 9/17/07; 6/10/13; 10/13/25 |
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 bus driver and the passengers. Students who fail to behave in an orderly manner will be subject to disciplinary measures.
The school vehicle 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. Infractions will result in disciplinary actions taken by the transportation department and/or administration, dependent upon the severity and frequency of the infractions within one calendar year, up to and including the suspension of transportation privileges for up to one year.
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 school district will review videotapes when necessary as a result of an incident reported by a bus driver, student/parent and/or employee. Viewing of videotapes is limited to the individuals having a legitimate purpose.
The recordings are student records subject to school district confidentiality, board policy and administrative regulations. It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the building principal and transportation director, to develop administrative regulations regarding student conduct and discipline when utilizing school district transportation.
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Approved: 5/13/13 |
Reviewed: |
Revised: 6/10/19; 10/13/25 |
All persons riding in school district vehicles will adhere to the rules below. The driver, sponsor or chaperones are to follow the school bus discipline procedure for student violations of this policy. Recording devices may be in operation on the school buses.
Bus riders will be at the designated loading point before the bus arrival time.
Bus riders will wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before attempting to enter.
Riders must not extend arms or heads out of the windows at any time.
Aisles must be kept cleared at all times.
All bus riders will load and unload through the right front door. The emergency door is for emergencies only.
A bus rider will depart from the bus at the designated point unless prior permission to get off at a different location is given to the driver.
A rider may be assigned a seat by the driver.
Riders who damage seats or other equipment will reimburse the district for the cost of the repair or replacement.
Riders are not permitted to leave their seats while the vehicle is in motion.
Waste containers are provided on all buses for bus riders' use.
Classroom conduct is to be observed by students.
The driver is in charge of the students and the vehicle.
A bus rider who must cross the roadway to board or depart from the bus will pass in front of the bus (no closer than 10 feet), look in both directions and proceed to cross the road or highway only on signal from the driver.
Students will not throw objects about the vehicle nor out through the windows.
Roughhousing (touching, pushing, wrestling, fighting) in the vehicle is prohibited.
Students will refrain from pushing.
The use or possession of alcohol, tobacco or look-alike substances is prohibited in the vehicle.
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Approved: 10/13/25 Reviewed: Revised
The Board in its discretion may provide District transportation for extracurricular activities including, but not limited to, transporting student participants and other students to and from extracurricular events.
Students participating in or attending extracurricular events, other than those held at District facilities, may be transported to the extracurricular event by District transportation vehicles or by another means approved by the Superintendent.
Students, who are provided transportation in District transportation vehicles for extracurricular events, will ride both to and from the event in the school vehicle unless arrangements have been made with the supervising staff member or 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 District transportation vehicle.
It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to make a recommendation to the Board as to whether the District will provide the transportation authorized in this policy. In making the recommendation to the Board, the Superintendent will consider the financial condition of the District, the number of students who would qualify for such transportation, and other factors the Board or Superintendent deem relevant.
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Approved: 3/10/87 |
Reviewed: |
Revised: 9/17/07; 6/10/13; 2/11/19; 10/13/25 |
Transportation to and from the student's attendance center for summer school instructional programs is within the discretion of the Board. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation regarding transportation of students in summer school instructional programs at the expense of the District. In making the recommendation to the Board, the superintendent will consider the financial condition of the District, the number of students involved in summer school programs, and other factors deemed relevant by the Board or the superintendent.
The District may use school vehicles for transportation to and from summer extracurricular activities. The superintendent will make a recommendation to the Board regarding their use.
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Approved: 11/14/67 |
Reviewed: |
Revised: 9/17/07; 6/10/13; 2/11/19; 10/13/25 |
The Board has sole discretion to determine the method to be utilized for transporting non-resident and nonpublic school students. Nonresident students paying tuition may be, and nonresident students attending a nonpublic school accredited by the Iowa 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 will obtain the permission of the superintendent or designee prior to being transported by the District.
Parents of resident students who provide transportation for their children attending a non-public school accredited by the Iowa Department of Education will be reimbursed at the established state rate. This reimbursement is paid only if the District receives the funds from the state. If less than the amount of funds necessary to fully reimburse parents of the non-public students is received by the school district, the funds will be prorated.
Continued transportation of non-resident students on a public school vehicle route will be subject to resident public school students' transportation needs. The superintendent will make a recommendation to the Board regarding the method to be used. In making a recommendation to the Board, the superintendent will consider the number of students to be transported, the capacity of the school vehicles, the financial condition of the District and other factors deemed relevant by the Board or the superintendent.
Non-resident students are 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 District regarding transportation of students by the District.
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Approved: 5/8/89 |
Reviewed: |
Revised: 9/17/07; 6/10/13; 2/11/19; 10/13/25 |
District vehicles may be made available to local non-profit entities which promote cultural. educational, civic, community, or recreational activities for transporting to and from non-school- sponsored activities within the state as long as the transportation does not interfere with or disrupt the education program of the District and does not interfere with or delay the transportation of students. The local non-profit entity must pay the cost of using the District vehicle as per the current fee schedule.
Prior to making the District transportation vehicle available to the local non-profit entity, the school bus signs shall be covered and the flashing warning lamps and the stop arm made inoperable.
Any use of District vehicles by non-school groups shall be subject to the following guidelines:
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Approved: 11/20/90 |
Reviewed: 2/11/19 |
Revised: 9/17/07; 6/10/13; 10/13/25 |
Date of Request: _______________ Date Bus Needed: _______________
Bus Request: _________________________ Time Needed: __________________
Group Requesting: ___________________________________________
The use of the buses of the District shall be in accordance with the following rules and regulations:
(_____ Total Miles Traveled X _____ Cost per Mile) + (_____ Total Hours Traveled X _____ Hourly Cost of Driver) = _____ Total Bus Charge
_____________________________________ _____________________________________________
Superintendent or Designee Group Representative
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Approved: 10/16/72 |
Approved: 10/16/72; 2/11/19 |
Revised: 9/17/07; 6/10/13; 12/9/19; 10/13/25 |
The District will conduct school bus safe riding practices instruction and emergency safety drills at least twice during the school year for students who utilize District transportation. Documentation of these safety drills will be maintained by the district for five years and made available upon request.
Each District vehicle will have a regular emergency safety drill as well as 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.
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Approved: 9/17/07 |
Reviewed: 2/11/19 |
Revised: 6/10/13; 10/13/25 |
District transportation 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 District and may change quickly, the best judgment possible with the information available will be used.
The final judgment as to when conditions are unsafe to operate will be made by the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee. The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee will be assisted by the actual "on location" decisions and reports of the District’s drivers.
When, in the judgment of the bus driver, weather conditions are so poor as to present a hazard when loading or unloading students, the driver will radio the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee for instructions. If radio contact is not possible, the driver will proceed to the next stop which does not present a hazard and make telephone contact personally, with the assistance of a student rider, monitor, or other person.
When school is cancelled because of weather anywhere in the District, all schools will be closed. Commercial radio, television, website and/or automated phone service will be used to notify employees and students when school is cancelled or temporarily delayed.
When weather conditions deteriorate during the day after school has begun, cancellation notices will be announced in a manner as provided above. 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.
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Approved: 9/15/80 |
Reviewed: 2/11/19 |
Revised: 9/17/07; 6/10/13; 10/13/25 |
It is the goal of Spirit Lake Community School District Transportation Department to provide the safest student transportation possible. The district shall utilize three-point lap-shoulder belts on district school buses as required by law. All three-point lap-shoulder belts available shoudl be used by passengers when the vehicle is in any nonstationary gear.
Students who may require assistance in using seat belts should ask the bus driver for help, so that all students are safely belted in their seat before the bus is in motion. Drivers will announce prior to the bus leaving that each student needs to be in their seat with the seat belt fastened.
Students refusing to use seat belts create a safety concern for themselves and others, and are subject to school district disciplinary actions. Repeated refusal to wear seat belts can result in suspension from bus riding privileges.
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Approved: 9/14/20 Reviewed: Revised: 10/13/25