Transportation
BP 3540.00
TRANSPORTATION
The School Board desires to provide transportation for eligible students in accordance with state and federal law.
The goals of the transportation service are:
1. to provide maximum safety for students between home and school and on school-sponsored trips.
2. to promote desirable student behavior and respect for traffic safety.
3. to provide assistance and transportation for students with disabilities.
4. to provide transportation for field trips.
(cf. 3312 - Contracts)
(cf. 3541.5 - Alternative Transportation Arrangements)
| Note: Secondary students who do not have daily access to school by being transported a reasonable distance must be offered a boarding program pursuant to 4 AAC 09.050. |
When necessary, the Board shall make available a boarding program for secondary students whose transportation needs make daily access to school impractical and who are not participating in an alternative educational program.
| Note: Effective July 1, 2014, AS 14.09.010 was amended to require that school districts adopt a policy addressing transportation services to students attending a charter school operated by the district. Department of Education and Early Development regulations require a charter school transportation policy if: 1) the district provides pupil transportation services under AS 14.09.010; and 2) the district operates a charter school or an application for the establishment of a charter school in the district is pending. A district must submit its charter school transportation policy to the Department for approval by: 1) April 15, 2015 if a charter school is in operation in the district on July 1, 2014; or 2) no later than 30 days after approval of a new charter school if the district does not already have an approved charter school transportation policy in effect. See 4 AAC 27.057 for further guidance on the transportation policy approval process. The policy is to be developed with input solicited from individuals involved in the charter school, including staff, students, and parents. If a district fails to adopt a policy, the district is required to allocate the amount of state transportation funding received for each charter school student to the charter school. AS 14.09.010(f). |
Charter School Transportation
The School Board recognizes that charter school students may benefit from transportation services. On a space available basis, charter school students may access school bus transportation on those regular school bus routes that run within the attendance area where the charter school is located. Transportation access is subject to the following:
a. Charter school students who reside within a mile and a half of the charter school are not eligible for transportation unless they must cross a designated hazardous road area. Special education routes are not subject to the mile and a half restriction.
b. Charter school students must comply with all rules for safe and appropriate conduct while waiting for, boarding, and exiting the bus, and while riding the bus. Charter school students are subject to the same sanctions as other students for bus violations.
c. Annually, the charter school must provide information to charter school families who are accessing school bus transportation about the district’s school bus rules.
d. School bus transportation is not available to charter school students enrolled in charter schools identified as correspondence programs.
Annually, the Superintendent or designee shall communicate to the charter school the space availability on applicable transportation route(s) and determine the transportation needs of charter school students. If the number of charter school students desiring transportation exceeds available space, the charter school is responsible for developing a written process for addressing ridership on a fair and equitable basis. A copy of the written process shall be provided to the district.
| Note: The above language reflects the minimum transportation obligation for charter school students as required by AS 14.09.010(e)(2). A district is not obligated to provide greater service, to establish dedicated routes for exclusive use of the charter schools, or to permit charter schools to opt out of the policy and receive transportation funding. The following is optional language for those districts desiring a process to consider, and act upon, requests by charter schools for additional transportation services. |
The district is not required to establish dedicated transportation routes for the exclusive use of charter school students, but may choose to do so.
A charter school desiring additional or dedicated student transportation may submit a written proposal to the Superintendent or designee. The proposal shall identify, at a minimum, student transportation needs, charter school funding available to support additional transportation, and the transportation routes and services being requested. The Superintendent will make a recommendation to the School Board to approve or deny the request. The Superintendent and the Board will consider the funding, equipment and personnel necessary to accommodate the requested transportation; the impact on operations of the district; the needs of the charter school and its students; equity with other charter schools and district alternative and optional programs; and the best interests of the district. The School Board will approve or deny the transportation request at a regularly scheduled meeting.
(cf. 6182 - Secondary Boarding Program)
(cf. 6181 – Charter School)
Legal Reference:
ALASKA STATUTES
14.09.010 Transportation of pupils
14.09.030 School buses
14.30.347 Transportation of exception children
ALASKA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
4 AAC 09.050 Secondary Boarding Programs
4 AAC 27.006-990 Transportation
4 AAC 27.057 Charter school transportation policy
KETCHIKAN GATEWAY BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Revision Date: 2/22/06
Revision Date: 10/14/2015
Revision Date: 10/28/2020