Transportation Policy 6600
Management Support
TRANSPORTATION
The district may provide transportation to and from school for a student:
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Whose residence is beyond the approved radius from the school to which the student is assigned;
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Whose walking route to school is hazardous as determined by the district;
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Whose disability prevents him/her from walking or providing for his/her own welfare while walking; or
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Who has another compelling and legally sufficient reason to receive transportation services. The parent or guardian of a student whose assigned bus stop is beyond the maximum walking distance may receive reimbursement for private transportation at the state mileage reimbursement rate.
At the request of an eligible student, the district may allow the student to transport his or her infant on a school bus or other student transportation vehicle provided by the district. The infant must be transported in a rear-facing child restraint system as defined in the federal motor vehicle safety standards found in 49 C.F.R. ss 6572.213. If the district denies the student’s request to transport his or her infant by school bus, the district must authorize other arrangements for individual transportation in accordance with RCW 28A.160.030. For purposes of this paragraph, “eligible student” means any student served by the transportation program of the district or compensated for individual transportation arrangements authorized by RCW 28A.160.030 whose route stop is outside the walk area for a student’s school, except if the student to be transported is disabled under RCW 28A.155.020 and is either not ambulatory or not capable of protecting his or her own welfare while traveling to or from the school or agency where special education services are provided, in which case no mileage distance restriction applies.
The district's transportation program shall comply in all ways with state law and regulation. Transportation services of the district may include approved bus routes, district-approved field trips, school activities (participants only) and extracurricular activities (rooters).
The board of directors may authorize children attending an approved private school to ride a school bus provided that the bus route and stops are not altered, space is available, and a fee to cover the per seat cost for such transportation is collected.
Routes And Schedules
The superintendent shall be responsible for scheduling bus transportation, including the determination of routes and bus stops as well as overseeing the transportation program.
The purpose of bus scheduling and routing is to achieve maximum service with a minimum fleet of buses insofar as this is consistent with rendering safe and reasonably equal service to all students entitled to such service. The board may authorize the use of a district-owned passenger vehicle in lieu of a bus for transporting students to and from school.
In order to operate the transportation system as safely and efficiently as possible, the following factors shall be considered in establishing bus routes:
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Where an alternate route may be considered without sacrifice of efficiency or economy, preference shall be given to that route more directly serving the largest number of students.
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Location of bus stops may be determined by such factors as student safety, economy and efficiency. Students may be required to walk up to one mile from their home to their bus stop provided that the walking route is safe.
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School schedules shall be adjusted to allow maximum utilization of each bus in the system by alternating elementary and secondary trips.
The district shall apply for state transportation apportionment funds and shall maintain the records required to obtain such funding.
Emergency Routes And Schedules
The district shall develop emergency bus routes and schedules to be used when weather conditions make the usual routes impassable or, in the superintendent's judgment, too hazardous. At the beginning of the school year, copies of emergency routes and schedules shall be distributed to parents with instructions on how to obtain emergency information.
If roads are closed to buses but not to private vehicles, the district may continue to operate the instructional programs of the schools without providing bus transportation until the roads are again open to buses.
School Bus Trespass
It is a gross misdemeanor for individuals to enter or remain unlawfully on a school bus, do any act that creates a substantial risk of harm to passengers or the driver, and cause a substantial interruption of impairment of services rendered by the bus. This doesn’t apply to enrolled students, law enforcement officers or other authorized personnel engaged in the performance of their official duties, individuals with written consent from the district allowing them to enter or remain on the school bus, and emergency situations where entering the bus is necessary to protect the safety or wellbeing of students or others.
The district will implement educational programs and awareness campaigns to inform students, parents and the community about the importance of maintaining safety and security on school buses.
Legal References:
| RCW 28A.160 | Student Transportation |
| 28A.160.020 | Authorization for private school students to ride buses — Conditions |
| 28A.160.030 | Authorizing individual transportation or other arrangements |
| WAC 392-141 | Transportation —State allocation for operations |
| 392-172-204 | Transportation (Special Education) |
| 392-172-035 | Definitions of “free appropriate, public education,” “adult student,” “special education student,” “parent,” and “public agency” |
Adopted: April 12, 2010
Amended: November 10, 2025