Transportation

Transportation
The District shall provide free transportation for any student in the District who resides: 

     (1) at a distance of one and one-half miles or more from his or her assigned school, unless the School Board has certified to the   Illinois State Board of Education that adequate public transportation is available.

     (2) within one and one-half miles from his or her assigned school where walking to school or to a pick-up point or bus stop would   constitute a serious hazard due to vehicular traffic or rail crossing, and adequate public transportation is not available. A student’s     parent(s)/guardian(s) may file a petition with the Board requesting transportation due to the existence of a serious safety hazard. 

Free transportation service and vehicle adaptation is provided for a special education student if included in the student’s individualized educational program. Homeless students shall be transported in accordance with the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. 

Bus schedules and routes shall be determined by the Superintendent or designee and shall be altered only with the Superintendent or designee approval and direction. In fixing the routes, the pick-up and discharge points should be as safe and convenient for students as possible. 

No school employee may transport students in school or private vehicles unless authorized by the administration. Every vehicle regularly used for the transportation of students must pass safety inspections in accordance with State law and Illinois Department of Transportation regulations. 

The strobe light on a school bus may be illuminated any time a bus is bearing one or more students. The Superintendent shall implement procedures in accordance with State law for accepting erratic driving reports. 

All contracts for charter bus services must contain the clause prescribed by State law regarding criminal background checks for bus drivers. 

School Bus Suspension

The Superintendent, or any designee as permitted in the School Code, is authorized to suspend a student from riding the school bus for up to 10 consecutive school days for engaging in gross disobedience or misconduct, including but not limited to, the following:

1.  Prohibited student conduct as defined in School Board Policy, 7:190, Student Behavior.

2.  Willful injury or threat of injury to a bus driver or to another rider.

3.  Willful and/or repeated defacement of the bus.

4.  Repeated use of profanity.

5.  Repeated willful disobedience of a directive from a bus driver or other supervisor.

6.  Such other behavior as the administration deems to threaten the safe operation of the bus and/or its occupants.

If a student is suspended from riding the bus for gross disobedience or misconduct on a bus, the School Board may suspend the student from riding the school bus for a period in excess of 10 days for safety reasons. The District’s regular suspension procedures shall be used to suspend a student’s privilege to ride a school bus.