707 Policy Appendix A: Bus Transportation Scheduling, Bus Stop Assignment, Eligibility Distances, After and Before School Transportation

I.    Students Eligible for Transportation.  The school district will provide transportation to all eligible students, including nonpublic school students.  

A.    For purposes of this Policy #707, the following students are eligible students.

1.    All students grades Pre-K through 12 who live farther than the eligibility distances established by Minnesota law.

2.    Non-public school students whose non-public school has elected to use Osseo Area Schools’ transportation system.

3.    All students receiving special education services with Individual Education Programs (IEPs) that require transportation as a related service by the school district.

4.    All students with a Section 504 Individual Accommodation Plan that requires transportation as an accommodation.

5.    Students who qualify for transportation services under the McKinney – Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Students in Early Childhood Special Education.

B.    Some students enrolled in or receiving services through the programs listed below may also be eligible students.  The school transportation safety director will make the final determination as to whether an individual student in one of these programs is a student eligible for transportation services.

1.    Students who are in temporary foster placement awaiting permanent placement as defined by the Every Student Succeeds Act. 

2.    Care and Treatment Facilities that provide the education component. 

3.    Early Childhood programs such as Four Star Express who have an older sibling riding the same bus when space is available on the bus.

4.    Pregnant Students

5.    Title I service recipients

6.    Administrative transfers

7.    The school district may provide transportation to any student living closer than the distances specified in Section A.  If the school district determines that geographic conditions of the student’s route to school pose a potential risk to the student. The school transportation safety director or his or her designee may consider any relevant criteria when making the determination that a student is eligible for transportation within the eligibility distances.

II.    Regular to and from School Transportation

A.    Transportation by school bus is a privilege and not a right.

B.    Only students and passengers authorized by school district personnel are allowed to enter a school bus.

C.    The school district will establish and has full discretion to determine: school bus routes; bus stop locations; student assignments to routes/stops and the manner and method of transportation.  

D.    The school district will periodically review and change school bus routes for safety and efficiency.  In that process the district may assign different bus stops when necessary.

E.    Parent and/or Guardian is responsible for getting their student to and from the designated bus stop safely each day.

F.    The school district will provide transportation for eligible students to and from a bus stop based on the student’s residence for all students in Pre-K 12.  

1.    A parent or guardian may request a different or additional bus stop within the attendance area from a designated daycare facility, respite care facility, residence of a relative or other person designated by the parent or guardian as the address of the student for transportation.    

a.    Bus stops must be consistent by being the same stop five days per week.

2.    All request for bus stop changes are required to be completed in writing. Forms are available on the district’s transportation website.

a.    All request submitted to the district will be reviewed by the transportation team.  Upon completion of the review, a written response will be issued to the requestor.

b.    Requests that are denied in writing are afforded the opportunity to attend a transportation bus stop review meeting to appeal the decision in person.  At this meeting, the requestor will present their case to a panel of transportation and other relevant school district staff, and bus contractors who will hear the appeal.  Upon completion of the hearing, the committee will respond in writing within seven business days.  The written determination will serve as a final determination.

c.    The school district may deny transportation in accordance with the provisions of Appendix C of this Policy #707.

G.    The school district may assign a student to an alternate existing bus stop if necessary for safety or for other good cause.

H.    The school district may provide regular transportation within the eligibility     distances established by Minnesota law.

III.    When identifying eligibility distances for the purposes of transportation eligibility the school district uses transportation routing software with the latest Hennepin County GIS maps to determine transportation eligibility distances.  The measurements are from the closest property line of the residences taking the most direct route to school to the closest property line of the eligible school.  The district’s transportation routing software will serve as final determination of distances.

IV.    After or Before School Transportation.  The school district may provide before or after school transportation to students in the following programs.

A.    Targeted Services

B.    Programs for students who are homeless or highly mobile

C.    Elementary Activities

D.    Middle School Activities

E.    Senior High Activities

F.    High School Credit Recovery Programs

When the school district provides before and after school transportation for the above programs students are expected to ride these services provided.  In the event that exception is made for a parent, legal guardian, or student 18 years of age or older to transport or self-transport to a program based upon exceptional circumstances, the parent/guardian or student will complete a transportation agreement waiver of liability form and turn it into the program organizer.

Adopted/Revised
Appendix A Revised: 7/31/18
Appendix A Revised:  2/3/15    
Appendix A Revised:  5/20/14
Appendix A Adopted:  6/7/11
Revised: 5/20/14
Revised: 6/7/11
Revised:  10/15/02
Revised:  10/16/01
Adopted:  1/5/99 (formerly Policy 3810)
Revised:  2/17/98
Revised:  4/21/87
Revised:  11/15/83
Adopted:  8/15/78

Legal References
M.S. 123B.88 Independent School Districts; Transportation 
M.S. 123B.90 School Bus Safety Training
M.S. 123B.91 School District Bus Safety Responsibilities
M.S. 169.443 Safety of School Children; Bus Driver’s Duties
M.S. 169.446 Safety of School Children; Training and Education Rules
M.S. 169.451 Inspecting School and Head Start Buses; Rules; Misdemeanor
M.S. 169.454 Type III Vehicle Standards
M.S. 169.458 Reportable Offense on School Bus
M.S. 169A.31 Alcohol-Related School Bus or Head Start Bus Driving

Cross References
Policy 442 – Travel
Policy 506 – Student Discipline
Policy 515 – Protection and Privacy of Student Records
Policy 550 – Suspension
Policy 551 – Exclusion and Expulsion
Policy 608 – Instructional Services – Special Education
Policy 921 – Non-Use of Tobacco on School Premises
Policy 922 – Non-Use of Chemicals on School Premises