Payment in Lieu of Transportation

After considering the factors set forth in Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 3327.02, the board of education of a city, exempted village or local school district may determine that it is impractical to transport a pupil who is eligible for transportation to and from a school under section ORC 3327.01.

Pursuant to ORC 3327.02 and Section 265.150 of HB 110, if the parent, guardian or other person in charge of the pupil accepts the offer of payment in lieu of providing transportation and providing that all appropriate documentation and procedures identified in code have been completed, the board shall pay the parent, guardian or other person in charge of the child an amount that shall be not less than 50% and not more than the amount determined by the department as the average cost of pupil transportation for the previous school year.  Payment may be prorated if the time period involved is only part of the school year.

There are several factors in identifying whether a student is eligible for transportation services:

• Residency: student is a resident of the district in which he/she is requesting transportation.

• K-12 students more than one mile: Student is in grades kindergarten through eight and lives more than two miles from the school of attendance.

• Thirty minutes travel time: District is not required to transport students if such transportation would require more than 30 minutes of direct travel time.

Following is a timeline of events associated with the payment in lieu of transportation:

By June 1, Parent/Guardian submits Transportation Request Form, along with the following documents, to the Board Office as a transportation-only enrollee.  The District verifies the student lives within the South Range Local Schools boundary.  

• 2025-2026 Non-Public Transportation Request Form

• Two forms of business mail

• Lease or mortgage

• Residency or custody affidavit (if applicable)

• Student’s birth certificate

• Parent/Guardian ID

Requests received after June 2 will not be accepted unless newly enrolled after the first day of school instruction.

June 18 Resolution including student names, school of attendance and the determination of impracticality are submitted to the Board of Education for approval.

After Resolution is passed by the Board of Education, the board or governing authority shall issue a letter to the pupil's parent, guardian, or other person in charge of the pupil, the nonpublic or community school in which the pupil is enrolled, and to the state board with a detailed description of the reasons for which such determination was made.    

If you believe you may qualify for this payment, you can find the transportation request application at Payment in Lieu of 2025-26.

If you  have any questions regarding this process, please contact Paula Lipke in the Board Office at 330-549-5226, Option 8.