7160                                          CONTRACT TRANSPORTATION                                      7160

 

 

A.  Eligibility for contract transportation services:

 

1.       Students’ eligibility for transportation services is determined in accordance with Board Policy 7105. 

 

2.       At the sole discretion of the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee, students may be deemed eligible to receive special transportation services from a public or private carrier or individual under contract with the school system if one of the following circumstances is present:

 

a.      The student has been identified as a student with a disability under the          Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504 of the          Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and transportation is listed as a related          service in the student’s individualized education plan (IEP) or as an          accommodation in the student’s 504 plan.

 

                        i.  Transportation may be designated as a related service                             in a student’s IEP only by the IEP team in accordance                             with Board Policy 6220 and applicable law.  A                                          representative of the Transportation Department may                                 be invited to IEP meetings at which the IEP team will                                be asked to consider whether or what manner of                                       special transportation should be listed as a related                                   service in the student’s IEP.

 

                        ii.  Transportation may be designated as an                                                   accommodation in a student’s 504 plan only by the                                  504/ADA committee in accordance with R&P 6210                                   and applicable law.  A representative of the                                              Transportation Department may be invited to                                            meetings at which the 504/ADA committee will be                                    asked to consider whether or what manner of special                                transportation should be provided to the student as                                   an accommodation in the student’s 504 plan.

 

                        iii.   If the student’s IEP requires that the student who is                                  assigned to contract transportation be accompanied                                 by a Safety Assistant to and from school, that                                          employee is authorized to travel in the contract                                         vehicle.

 

b.      The student has been identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento                Homeless Assistance Act, and regular transportation services are not available to transport the student to and from a school the student is entitled to attend under the Act.

 

c.      The student is eligible to receive transportation under Policy 7105 and the Superintendent or Superintendent’s determines, in his or her sole discretion, that it is more cost-effective to transport the student by contract transportation.

 

 

 

B.  Assignment to Contract Transportation Services:

 

1.   For each student to be transported by means other than yellow school bus, the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee shall, in his or her sole discretion, designate a cost-effective mode of transportation that is consistent with any transportation requirements in the student’s IEP or 504 plan, if any.

 

2.   Before assigning students to contract transportation services, the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee should first consider whether transportation may be provided by unmodified yellow school buses.  If that is not feasible, the Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee should next consider whether transportation may be provided by yellow school buses equipped with lifts.  If students cannot be cost-effectively accommodated on yellow school buses in a manner consistent with their IEPs or 504 plans (if any), they may be assigned to contract transportation services.

 

 

C.  Administration of Contracts with Public or Private Carriers:

 

1.   To the extent transportation cannot be accommodated by the school system’s bus fleet, the Board or Superintendent may enter contracts with public or private carriers or individuals in accordance with G.S. 115C-253 and any other applicable law. 

 

2.   All contracts for transportation services will be in compliance with WCPSS Policy 8361—Service Contract Administration.3.  

 

3.   The Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee will administer any transportation contracts and monitor service providers’ compliance with the terms of their contracts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Legal references: G.S. 115C-250,  G.S. 115C-253, Individuals with Disabilities Act, 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq., 34 C.F.R. Part 300; The Rehabilitation Act of 1963, 29 U.S.C. 706(8), 34 C.F.R. Part 104; Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. 12134, 28 C.F.R. Part 35

Cross References: Policy 6203 - Transfer of School Assignment; Policy 7105 - Use of School Transportation Services; Policy 6220 - Assurance of Appropriate Services For Students with Disabilities; Policy 8361 - Service Contract Administration.

Issued:   August 20, 1979

Revised: June 28, 1990

Revised: January 26, 1998

Revised: November 3, 2009