The Governing Board desires to provide for the safe and efficient transportation of students to and from school as necessary to ensure student access to the educational program, promote regular attendance, and reduce tardiness. In determining the extent to which the district will provide transportation services, the Board shall weigh student and community needs against the cost of providing such services.
(cf. 3100 - Budget)
(cf. 3541 - Transportation Routes and Services)
(cf. 3541.1 - Transportation for School-Related Trips)
(cf. 3541.2 - Transportation for Students with Disabilities)
(cf. 5116.1- Intradistrict Open Enrollment)
(cf. 5117 - Interdistrict Attendance)
(cf. 6178.2 - Regional Occupational Center/Program)
The Superintendent or designee shall recommend to the Board economical, environmentally sustainable, and appropriate means of providing transportation services.
(cf. 3510 - Green School Operations)
The Board may purchase, rent, or lease vehicles; contract with a common carrier or municipally owned transit system; contract with responsible private parties including the parent/guardian of the student being transported; and/or contract with the County Superintendent of Schools. (Education Code 35330, 39800, 39801)
In contracting for transportation services, the district shall comply with all applicable laws related to bids and contracts. (Education Code 39802-39803)
(cf. 3311 - Bids)
(cf. 3312 - Contracts)
In lieu of providing transportation in whole or in part, the district may pay the student's parents/guardians either their actual and necessary expenses in transporting the student or the cost of the student's food and lodging at a place convenient to the school. In either case, the amount of the payment shall not exceed the cost that would be incurred by the district to provide for the transportation of the student to and from school. (Education Code 39806-39807)
The Board may charge a transportation fee to parents/guardians of transported students in accordance with Education Code 39807.5 and BP/AR 3250 - Transportation Fees.
(cf. 3250 - Transportation Fees)
No student shall be required to be transported for any reason without the written permission of the student's parent/guardian, except in emergency situations involving illness or injury to the student pursuant to Education Code 35350 or the evacuation of students as necessary for their safety.
(cf. 3516 - Emergencies and Disaster Preparedness Plan)
The Superintendent or designee shall develop procedures to promote safety for students traveling on school buses.
(cf. 3543 - Transportation Safety and Emergencies)
(cf. 5131.1 - Bus Conduct)
The district may install a global positioning system (GPS) on school buses and/or student activity buses in order to enhance student safety and provide real-time location data to district and school administrators and parents/guardians.
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure the qualifications of bus drivers and related staff employed by the district, provide for the maintenance and operation of district-owned school buses and other equipment, and ensure adequate facilities for equipment storage and maintenance.
(cf. 3542 - School Bus Drivers)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
35330 Excursions and field trips
35350 Authority to transport pupils
39800-39860 Transportation, especially:
39800 Powers of governing board to provide transportation for pupils to and from school; definition of "municipally owned transit system"
39801 Contract with County Superintendent of Schools to provide transportation
39802-39803 Bids and contracts for transportation services
39806 Payments to parents in lieu of transportation
39807 Food and lodging payments in lieu of transportation
39807.5 Transportation fees
39808 District transportation of private school students
41850-41854 Allowances for transportation
41860-41862 Supplemental allowances for transportation
45125.1 Criminal background checks for contractors
52311 Regional occupational centers, transportation
GOVERNMENT CODE
3540-3549.3 Educational Employment Relations Act
PENAL CODE
637.7 Electronic tracking devices
VEHICLE CODE
2807 School bus inspection
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
14100-14103 Use of school buses and school pupil activity buses
15240-15343 Allowances for student transportation, especially:
15253-15272 District records related to transportation
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 13
2025 Retrofitting of diesel school buses
COURT DECISIONS
Arcadia Unified School District et. al. v. State Department of Education, 2 Cal. 4th 251 (1992)
Policy WOODLAKE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: August 14, 2019 Woodlake, California