Transportation is considered a related service under the IDEA and each school system must provide transportation if a student requires this service to receive special education. Transportation includes:

• Travel to and from school and between schools,
• Travel in and around school buildings,
• Specialized equipment, if needed.

As a related service, transportation will be furnished at no cost to parents or guardians and will be in the least restrictive environment. The decision to provide special transportation is made by the IEP as a part of the IEP process. The Joint School District #2 Transportation Department requires 2 full school days notice in order to arrange transportation. The following procedures for special transportation in the Joint School District #2 are discussed as follows:

Pick-Up Procedures:

Home Delivery of Students:

A parent or guardian is expected to be at the designated stop to receive the child. Parents must indicate on A Release of Responsibility form if some other responsible person is authorized to receive their child at the designated stop or if the child is to be left alone.

Failure of Parent or Guardian to Meet the Bus:

If the parent/ guardian or the designated responsible person fails to meet the bus, the transportation system will make every effort to contact the person whom the parents have designated on the emergency information form, prior to notifying the Ada County Sheriff and arranging for protective custody. Failure of the parent or guardian to meet the bus will be handled in the following manner:

• The driver will radio the transportation department when a responsible person is not present to meet the bus.
• The dispatcher will attempt to contact the home and check records to see if a designated neighbor has been approved to accept the student.
• The dispatcher /designee may instruct the driver to continue on the route, make additional stops and return to this stop, if appropriate.
• The dispatcher/designee will make a follow-up attempt to contact the home.
• When directed, the driver will make the second attempt to drop the student at home. If no one is there, the driver will again contact the transportation department by radio.
• The dispatcher /designee will instruct the driver to bring the student to the shop. Additional attempts will be made to contact the home, emergency contacts.
• A designated office employee will remain at the shop to take responsibility of the child until the sheriff/deputy arrive to take protective custody of the student.

Route Changes:

Parents should be prepared for changes in buses, routes, and time of pick-up throughout the school year as a result of additions or withdrawals of students in the program. Overall route travel time will vary from route to route, depending on school and student home locations. After an initial adjustment period at the start of the school or upon reorganization of routes, the pick-up and delivery time should be consistent within approximately fifteen (15 minutes). Buses may run later during days of unfavorable weather conditions, such as snow or rain. Please note that stop changes can take as much as 10 working days to complete.

Illness:

Please notify the transportation department at 888-7910 and your child s school if you do not intend to send your child to school. If a child becomes ill at school, the parent is asked to transport the child home.

Moving:

If you are moving during the school year or change your telephone number, please notify the transportation department as soon as possible or at least two (2) weeks before moving.

Personal Articles:

Each item a child takes to school should be placed in a closed sack or bag and clearly marked. In case of lost articles, check with your school and/or the bus driver. However, the bus driver and the school will not be responsible for personal belongings.

Discipline:

All students, regardless of a handicapping condition, will be expected to demonstrate appropriate behavior while waiting for or riding the bus. Unless the nature of conduct is such to endanger the life of the student or the lives of others on the bus, the following steps are to be taken prior to suspending a special needs child from the bus.

• The driver or assistant will contact the parent/ group home/ guardian, teacher, and the special services transportation supervisor about the inappropriate behavior. The special services transportation supervisor will coordinate any action taken as necessary.
• If behavior does not improve, the student will be given a first citation. The special services transportation supervisor will again contact the appropriate team members to design a specific intervention action.
• If the behavior does not improve, the student will be given a second citation. The special services transportation supervisor will schedule a review. Persons to be included in this review are the driver and the assistant, the program supervisor, parent/ group home/ guardian, teacher, consulting teacher, and other district personnel as needed.
• If the behavior does not improve, the student is given a third citation. The special services transportation supervisor will schedule a second review with necessary personnel.
• A last resort is suspension from the bus with a plan for alternative transportation.
• If the behavior from the onset endangers the life of the student or the lives of others, the special services transportation supervisor will immediately schedule a review with all necessary personnel.