7100 R&P

STUDENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE on school buses

7100 R&P

It is the intent of the Wake County Board of Education that all eligible students have the opportunity for safe, regulated transportation on school buses to and from school.

7100.1

Students shall ride only on their assigned buses and board and disembark only at their assigned stops. Any changes in these assignments must be approved by the principal.

7100.2

In order to help ensure the safety and comfort of school bus passengers, all students wishing to ride on the school bus will be required to:

a.

Show respect for the driver at all times and accept his/her authority.

b.

Enter and leave the bus without pushing, crowding, or jumping over seats.

c.

Remain seated while the bus is in motion.

d.

Talk in a reasonable tone of voice without calling out to passers-by or using profane or abusive language.

e.

Keep the bus clean and avoid littering.

f.

Refrain from consuming food or beverages on the bus.

g.

Remain in their seats without placing any part of their bodies outside of the bus window.

h.

Refrain from fighting or throwing any objects on the bus.

7100.3

Pursuant to North Carolina law, the driver of a school bus, subject to the direction of the principal, shall have complete authority over and responsibility for the operation of the bus and the maintaining of good conduct upon the bus.

7100.4

Since misconduct on a bus can distract a driver from his primary responsibility for safe transport, the driver shall report promptly to the principal any misconduct on the bus or any violation of the driver's instructions.

7100.5

A principal may take action on any misconduct which occurs on a school bus in the same manner in which he would act if the violation had occurred on the school grounds.

7100.6

Penalties for violation of specified board policy as stated in the Student Code of Conduct apply to conduct occurring on the school bus.

7100.7

Penalties for lesser bus offenses are set at the discretion of the principal. However, a possible sequence of penalties might be:

a.

First Offense - Warning letter to parent.

b.

Second Offense - Exclusion from the bus for five (5) days.

c.

Third Offense - Exclusion from the bus for ten (10) days.

7100.8

Should a principal desire to exclude a student from the bus for longer than ten (10) days, the principal shall suspend the student from the bus for ten (10) days and make recommendation for long-term suspension on form 3701, Bus Discipline Report. This form shall indicate the recommended total number of days for suspension from the bus. The parent and the superintendent should be notified of the recommended long-term suspension by sending copies of form 3701 to the parent and to the Office of Student Services. A copy of the Student Grievance Procedure also should be sent to the parent.

a.

If the principal is not otherwise notified within five (5) school days of the receipt of form 3701 by the Office of Student Services, the principal should consider the recommended long-term suspension from the bus as approved by the superintendent.

b.

At the end of the ten-day suspension period, the principal shall invoke the approved long-term suspension and notify the parent using form 1717c, Notice of Long-term Bus Suspension. Copies of form 1717c should also be forwarded to the Office of Student Services and to the bus supervisor.

 7100.9

Application of the following procedures will help assure that the Wake County Public School System provides transportation services to students with disabilities as a required related service utilizing the least restrictive means possible.

a.

Suspension from the bus or other vehicle that results in a disabled student's absence from school for no more than ten (10) days in a school year is permissible.

b.

When a student, identified with a disability and in need of special education, demonstrates a continuing pattern of misbehavior that results in cumulative suspension from the bus and may result in absence from school for more than ten (10) days, the principal must convene a school-based multidisciplinary team to review the student's behavior and to develop strategies for modifying the behavior. The team should also determine whether or not the student's pattern of behavior is related to the handicapping condition.

c.

Requests for more restrictive transportation may be recommended by a school-based multidisciplinary team (form 3702) when the following conditions apply:

(l)

Strategies suggested by the multidisciplinary team have been implemented but the student's pattern of behavior has not changed.

(2)

The student's continuing pattern of behavior poses a threat to bus safety as determined by the principal.

(3)

The student is assigned to his/her base school, and a school-based multidisciplinary team has determined that the student's behavior is related to his/her disability.

or

The student is assigned to a school other than his/her base school in order to participate in an appropriate educational program.

or

The student is already assigned to special transportation services because of his/her physical or behavioral conditions.

d.

When the conditions in Section "c" apply, a student may not be denied transportation that results in absence from school for more than ten (10) days during a school year.

e.

If the student is assigned to his/her base school and is not already assigned to special transportation and the multidisciplinary team has determined that the student's behavior is not related to the student's handicap, normal disciplinary procedures may be applied even if suspension from the bus results in absence from school for more than ten (10) days during the school year; however, educational services to the child may not cease.

f.

If the multidisciplinary team determines that the behavior of a student assigned to the base school is related to the student's disability but the principal determines that the behavior does not pose a threat to bus safety, disciplinary action other than suspension from the bus should be applied.

g.

Requests for more restrictive transportation should be determined by the School-based Committee/Individualized Educational Program/Administrative Placement Committee (SBC/IEP/APC) and forwarded to the supervisor for special transportation.

h.

A program specialist from the department of special education should be involved when a student’s transportation needs require additional funds. Requests for more restrictive transportation will be reviewed by the supervisor for special transportation. Requests will be reviewed within five (5) school days of receipt by the supervisor for special transportation.

(l)

The SBC/IEP/APC will determine special transportation services based on the least restrictive to most restrictive means.

• Regular school bus

• Mini-bus

• Private contract transportation

• Parent contract

(2)

Denial of transportation services when required as a related service (Section c) may be affected only when a student's behavioral or physical condition necessitates the most restrictive provision and the parent does not accept this provision.

(3)

Restrictive transportation services may be assigned on a temporary basis, as well as for the remainder of the school year.

i.                 

If a student is assigned to more restrictive transportation, the principal must assure that the student's Individual Education Program (IEP) reflects the provision of transportation as a related service.

Issued:  August 20, 1979

Revised: June 28, 1990

Revised: January 26, 1998