Elementary and middle school students living more than two miles from their designated school attendance centers and high school students living more than three miles from their
designated attendance centers are entitled to transportation to and from their attendance center at the expense of the school district.
Transportation of students who require special education services will generally be provided as for other students, when appropriate. Specialized transportation of a student to and
from a special education instructional service is a function of that service and, therefore, an appropriate expenditure of special education instructional funds generated through the
weighting plan.
Transportation of a student to and from a special education support service is a function of that service, and is specified in the individualized education program (IEP) or the
individualized family service plan (IFSP). When the IEP or IFSP team determines that unique transportation arrangements are required and the arrangements are specified in the IEP
or IFSP, the school district will provide one or more of the following transportation arrangements for instructional services and the AEA for support services:
Transportation from the student's residence to the location of the special education and back to the student's residence, or child care placement for students below the age of six.
Special assistance or adaptations in getting the student to and from and on and off the vehicle, en route to and from the special education.
Reimbursement of the actual costs of transportation when by mutual agreement the parents provide transportation for the student to and from the special education.
The school district is not required to provide reimbursement to parents who elect to provide transportation in lieu of agency-provided transportation.
A student may be required, at the board's discretion, to meet a school vehicle without reimbursement up to three-fourths of a mile. The board may require the parent to transport their
children up to two miles to connect with school bus vehicles at the expense of the school district when conditions deem it advisable. It is within the discretion of the board to
determine such conditions. Parents of students who live where transportation by bus is impracticable or unavailable may be required to furnish transportation to and from the
designated attendance center at the expense of the school district. Parents, who transport their children at the expense of the school district, are reimbursed at the rate per mile set by
the state.
Transportation arrangements made by agreement with a neighboring school district will follow the terms of the agreement. Students, who choose to attend a school in a school
district other than their resident school district, will provide transportation to and from the school at their own expense.
It shall be the policy of the North Mahaska Community School District not to provide at-home pick-up service to any student living within the city limits of New Sharon. Students
living within the city limits may ride a bus from designated pick up points to the elementary-junior-senior high school.
4-year-olds attending North Mahaska Preschool will be provided at-home pick-up service anywhere in the district.
When transportation by school bus is impractical or where school bus transportation is not available, the Board may require the parents or guardians to transport their children to
the school designated for attendance. The parent or guardian will be reimbursed for such transportation as designated by statute.
Distance to school or to a bus route shall be measured only on the public highway and over the most passable and safest route as determined by the Board of Education, starting
in the roadway opposite the entrance to the school grounds or designated point on the route.
It shall be the policy of the North Mahaska School District that when a parent or guardian of an elementary student entitled to transportation under Iowa law requests that a state
licensed day care facility located in the North Mahaska School District be designated as the pick up or drop off point for their child rather than their residence this day care will
become an established bus stop. The bus may then also pick up or drop off any other North mahaska elementary student attending that day care center, even if that child would
not normally be entitled to transportation.
Legal Reference: 20 U.S.C. §§ 1401, 1701 et seq. (2004).
34 C.F.R. Pt. 300 et seq. (2004).
Iowa Code §§ 256B.4; 285; 321 (2007).
281 I.A.C. 41.98; 43.
Cross Reference: 501.16 Homeless Children and Youth
507.8 Student Special Health Services
603.3 Special Education
711 Transportation
Approved 4-16-12
Reviewed
Revised
