4:110-AP5 Pupil Transportation Eligibility
Free Transportation Eligibility
Free transportation shall be provided to students who:
A. Reside at least one and one-half miles from the school to which they are assigned; or
B. Reside less than one and one-half miles from the school to which they are assigned and 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 per Illinois Department of Transportation guidelines.
Free transportation will not be provided for:
A. Students to or from a location other than his or her designated bus stop or for child care purposes; or
B. Students who attend a school through a boundary variance granted by the Superintendent or designee.
Determining Distance from School
Article 29 of the Illinois School code (105 ILCS 5/29-3), states that the distance shall be measured from the exit of the residence property to the point where pupils are normally unloaded at the school attended by determining the shortest distance on normally traveled roads or streets. Pupils can also be required to walk up to one and one-half miles from their residence to a pick-up point regardless of the distance traveled by bus.
Door-to-door transportation shall be provided only for special needs students whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) requires that the child be picked up at the door. Children under the age of five can be considered special needs by age alone; however, parents are expected to assist the child to the curb for transportation purposes. All students in grades K-12 can be expected to walk to a pick-up point to one and one-half miles from their home, regardless of the distance they travel by the school bus.
Serious Safety Hazards
The Superintendent or designee shall annually review walking routes to school to determine if any serious safety hazard exists. All serious safety hazards shall be reviewed and certified by the Board each year in accordance with the rules promulgated by the Illinois Department of Transportation and the State Superintendent of Education (105 ILCS 5/29-3).
If one parent or guardian believes that an unidentified serious safety hazard exists for their child walking up to one and one-half miles to school, they must send a written petition to the Superintendent or designee to requires that a safety hazard study be conducted. Upon receipt of such a petition, a safety hazard student shall be completed within 15 days, and if finding sufficient cause, the Superintendent or designee shall submit an application for a Serious Safety Hazard Finding to the Department of Transportation for review and approval.
Reference:
School Bus Safety: What Parents Should Know
School Bus Safety and Instruction for Submitting Findings
Date Adopted: April 18, 2017
