Tulsa Public Schools Policy 7102: Transportation Services
PURPOSE: To provide for student and District transportation services.
Student Bus Services
All elementary students living within the legal boundaries of the District legally enrolled and living 1½ miles from their home school and all secondary students living within the legal boundaries of the District legally enrolled and living 2 miles from their home school may be transported from their home designated bus stops to school and returned. School transportation will be subject to all federal and state laws and local ordinances. Eligibility for transportation will be determined according to policy by the Transportation Office.
The District may provide transportation for specifically designated schools and programs as determined by the Superintendent or designee.
Federal law requires the District to provide transportation for special needs students and students transferring from home schools through the “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB). Bus service for a student transferring from one school attendance area to a “school of choice” in another school attendance area will not be provided. In accordance with the regulations of the State Board of Education, school bus usage will be restricted to the transportation of students, except that a sponsoring adult or adult supervisor(s), where necessary, may be transported with such students.
A student may become ineligible for bus service by violating conduct regulations. A list of student conduct regulations will be posted on each bus. Some offenses could result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Behavior Response Plan. All revocations and reinstatements for bus service will be handled through the school principal.
The Transportation Office will conduct a study of bus routes in each school area to determine the fastest, most economical route to transport students. Bus routes in each school area will be arranged so as to equalize, as nearly as possible, the length of routes and busloads, and to provide for the full use of buses. Centralized stops will be utilized so that each eligible elementary student will have a stop within 1½ miles walking distance from the student’s home and each eligible secondary student will have a stop within 2 miles walking distance from the student’s home. Transfers may be made from one bus to another to provide the best overall transportation system when safe and economical. Once the official route has begun, stops shall be made only to take on, discharge or transfer students. Students will not be put off the bus until they reach their destination.
Students transferring from one school attendance area to another school attendance area will furnish their own transportation.
Courtesy Transportation
Courtesy transportation may be provided in certain situations such as determined by the Superintendent or designee. One example of courtesy transportation may include unusual hazards that make walking to school unsafe. Hazards include, but are not limited to: no sidewalks, no crosswalks, railroad crossings, no crossing guards, drainage ditches, and dense traffic/arterial streets. Also, specifically designated schools and programs will have transportation provided in the same manner as a home school when designated by the Superintendent or designee.
Special Use of School Buses
School buses may be used by class groups for field trips where transportation is required and properly authorized. School buses may also be used for transporting kindergarten children and vocational-technical students to and from school, and for transporting athletic teams, band members and some small band instruments used in games, parades and other school-related functions. Trips will be arranged so as not to interfere with regular daily bus routes.
Nonschool Use of Buses
School buses may be used for nonschool purposes but will only be considered if the use does not interfere with school uses.