skip to main content

Charter SELPA

Special Education Local Plan Area
Home
or Browse All Schools
QUICK LINKS
https://charterselpa.org/Transportation-Guidelines/Modes-of-Transportation/
Chinese Dutch English French German Greek Italian Japanese Korean Portuguese Russian Spanish Vietnamese Tagalog Khmer Farsi Hindi Punjabi Ukrainian
Contrast Mode

Charter SELPA

Special Education Local Plan Area

Modes of Transportation

TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR ELIGIBLE STUDENTS
 
Specialized transportation, as a related service, must be written on the pupil’s IEP with specificity and should be approved by the school’s administrator. It is recommended that services be described in sufficient detail to inform the parties of how, when, and from where/to where transportation will be provided. 
 
Considering the identified needs of the student, transportation options may include, but not be limited to:  
 
  • No transportation - Student arrives/leaves school in the same manner as non-disabled students when there is no district-provided transportation. Student may walk or ride a bike to school.
  • Regular school bus transportation - Student use the same regular school bus as non-disabled students when there is district-provided transportation.  
  • Regular school bus transportation with modifications - Student uses the same regular school bus as non-disabled students with an arranged corner stop near student’s home or at the end of the road leading to the student’s home.  
  • Public transportation - Student use public transportation with a reimbursement of the cost given to the parents.  The IEP team may wish to consider a blend of transportation services as the student’s needs evolve and as the student’s abilities progress. When discussing transportation options for a student, one consideration could be public transportation to assist in independence. This may require additional public transportation goals and services provided to teach the student skills necessary for ongoing use.
  • School-to-School - Student may walk to the neighborhood school and then be transported to the school where the student’s special education services are being provided. (This option can be used only if the school sites are on different schedules as disabled students are to have the same “school day” as their non-disabled peers unless the disability requires a shorter day.) 
 
Special Education transportation may be provided by a regular school bus, special education transportation bus, or another district-approved transportation provider.   
 
  • Door-to-door - Student is provided special education transportation between the student’s home, and the location of his/her special education services.  Special Education transportation may be provided by a regular school bus, special education transportation bus, or another district-approved transportation provider. 
  • Parent voluntarily transporting his/her child -  If a parent chooses not to utilize bus transportation offered by the district, the parent will not be entitled to reimbursement.  If the parent is transporting and being reimbursed, the parent will be paid the rate of reimbursement determined by each LEA. 
 
 
TAKE NOTE: When arrangements for the reimbursement to parents are required, the amount and frequency of reimbursement should be documented in the IEP. It could be defined, for example, through a monthly calendar submitted to the appropriate person for IRS Mileage Rate.  A sample contract for in lieu transportation is included in Appendix 2.
 
USE OF TAXI, RIDE-SHARE, OR APP-BASED SERVICES FOR PUPIL TRANSPORTATION
(Updated to reflect SB 88 requirements)
 
Effective July 1, 2025, Senate Bill 88 applies the state’s pupil-transportation safety requirements to all drivers providing transportation for compensation, including taxis and app-based or ride-share companies. The law imposes enhanced driver qualifications, vehicle safety standards, and oversight obligations for local educational agencies (LEAs).
 
Driver standards- Drivers must hold a valid California driver’s license; pass fingerprint-based criminal background checks; complete tuberculosis screening and a medical exam every two years; participate in a drug and alcohol testing program; complete first-aid and safe-driving training; comply with duty-hour limits; and be designated as mandated reporters.
 
Vehicle standards- Vehicles with a seating capacity of ten or fewer must undergo a 19-point safety inspection by a Bureau of Automotive Repair–licensed facility every 12 months or 50,000 miles, whichever occurs first, and carry a first-aid kit and fire extinguisher.
 
LEA oversight-LEAs must obtain a written attestation from any taxi, ride-share, or app-based provider confirming that all drivers and vehicles meet SB 88 requirements and that the company will maintain compliance for the duration of the contract. LEAs are responsible for monitoring compliance.
 
Implementation guidance-Traditional ride-share platforms such as Uber or Lyft generally do not meet SB 88 requirements for pupil transportation under contract with an LEA. Specialized services (e.g., HopSkipDrive or similar) may be used only if full compliance with SB 88’s driver, vehicle, and oversight requirements is documented. LEAs should ensure contracts clearly define compliance obligations, verify provider documentation before authorizing transport, and plan pick-up and drop-off schedules to minimize loss of instructional time.
 
CERTIFIED SERVICE ANIMALS:
 
A certified service animal may be transported when it is needed to facilitate the functional level of a student with disabilities. The LEA/District should develop a policy to address this issue and address all considerations, procedures, and details with the IEP team. Please see Appendix 1 for a sample policy.