Policy 5131.1 - Bus Conduct

Bus Conduct

In order to help ensure the safety and well-being of students, bus drivers, and others, the Board of Education expects students to exhibit appropriate and orderly conduct at all times when using school transportation, including while preparing to ride, riding, or leaving the bus.

The Superintendent or designee shall establish regulations related to student conduct on buses, bus driver authority, and the suspension of riding privileges.  They shall make these rules available to parents/guardians, students, and other interested parties.

Students found to be in violation of the district's bus conduct rules shall be subject to discipline in accordance with Board policy and rule.

The Superintendent or designee may deny a student the privilege of using school transportation upon the student's continued disorderly conduct or their persistent refusal to submit to the authority of the driver.

Bus Surveillance Systems
The Board believes that the use of surveillance systems on school buses will help to deter misconduct and improve discipline, ensure the safety of students and bus drivers, and prevent vandalism.  Therefore, surveillance systems may be installed and used on school buses to monitor student behavior while traveling to and from school and school activities.

The Superintendent or designee shall notify students, parents/guardians, and staff that surveillance may occur on any school bus and that the contents of a recording may be a student record and, as such, may be used in student disciplinary proceedings or referred to local law enforcement, as appropriate. In addition, a prominent notice shall be placed in each bus stating that the bus is equipped with a surveillance monitoring system.

Rule 5131.1

Adopted: 05/21/2002

Last Revised: 05/19/2009 (technical revisions)

The behavior of school bus passengers can directly affect their safety and the safety of others. The following regulations apply at all times when students are riding a school bus, including school activity trips.

Rules and Regulations Students are required to:

1. Arrive at his/her assigned bus stop five (5) minutes prior to scheduled arrival of bus and shall respect the rights and property of others while waiting for the bus to arrive.
2. Refrain from fighting, wrestling and any other disruptive activity both on the bus and at the bus stop.
3. Refrain from bringing on the bus animals, both dead or alive, firearms, weapons of any kind, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, controlled substances, glass or pressurized containers or any other materials considered to be potentially dangerous.
4. Keep all body parts inside the bus.
5. Follow the instructions and directions of the bus driver, remain seated, facing forward with legs, arms and any objects out of aisle until bus has come to a complete stop.
6. Remain quiet at all railroad crossings.
7. Not use profanity, obscene gestures, racial or sexual harassment or any other act that would be offensive to other riders. No excessive or unnecessary noise shall be permitted while on the school bus.
8. Not damage or deface any part of the school bus, tamper with radio controls, emergency exit or in any way endanger the safety of others.
9. Enter and exit the bus through the entrance door only. Exceptions apply during emergency situations.
10. Keep the bus safe and free from litter. This includes no littering or throwing objects in or out of the bus. There will be no eating or drinking while on the bus.

Riders who fail to comply with the above rules shall be issued a conduct report consistent with the guidelines described below.

Discipline Process

1. The normal progression of penalties and notification process for violations of the rules and regulations on the bus are:
   • Step 1 - First Violation: The student receives a written warning conduct report, the parent/guardian signs and returns the warning within three days. The child can continue to ride the bus. (The driver will contact the parent/guardian if the warning conduct report is not returned). The driver will fax the drivers’ signed copy to the principal.
   • Step 2 - Second Violation: The student receives a written conduct report and the parent/guardian returns the conduct report in three days. The driver chooses to either refer the conduct report to the principal or deny bus privileges for one day. The drivers must notify the principal and the parent/guardian.
   • Step 3 - Third Violation: The driver completes the conduct report, including their recommendation for length of time the student is denied bus riding privileges (denial will be at least three days). The driver then contacts the principal who makes the final decision on the outcome of the discipline process regarding the violation. The principal issues the conduct report to the child, and then contacts the parent/guardian to inform them their child’s bus riding privilege suspension should commence the day after the conduct report is issued. The conduct report is signed by the parent/guardian and returned to the principal and the driver when the student returns to the bus.
   • Step 4 - Subsequent Violation: The driver prepares a conduct report listing the current violation (and references the previous violations). The Operations Supervisor will contact the principal and the parent/ guardian. Bus privileges cannot be resumed until a mandatory conference is held between the driver, the parent/ guardian, the student and the principal. The principal decides what action is to be taken.
   • In cases of severe misconduct students may be assigned penalties more severe than provided for in the normal process. All other school district rules and regulations, together with their penalties, shall apply to conduct on buses and shall be administered by the Principal or other appropriate school authorities.
2. If a parent requests an appeal on a bus suspension, the following people should be present:
   1. The principal, or his/her designee.
   2. Director of Transportation or his/her designee.
   3. The School Bus Driver who suspended the student from bus service.
   4. The parent/guardian of the suspended student.
   5. Student (if requested).
3. Should the parent/guardian not be satisfied with a decision at any level, they may seek redress normally as follows:
   1. The Principal
   2. The Assistant Superintendent

Bus Conduct Report Process

1. The guidelines for processing the Bus Conduct Report are as follows:
   1. The Conduct Report form shall be filled out by the school bus driver.
   2. The white copy shall be given to the student by the school bus driver as described in Steps 1and 2 of the discipline Process. In Steps 3 and 4 of the discipline process, the copy will be given to the student by the principal.
   3. The pink copy shall be given to the principal or his/her designee by the school bus driver.
   4. The yellow copy shall be retained by the school bus driver.
   5. The hard copy shall be filed at the Transportation Department.

Areas of Responsibility for Conduct on the Bus

1. The school bus driver shall:
   1. Have the authority and responsibility to implement established rules and regulations.
   2. Be recognized as the supervisor of student conduct on his/her bus.
   3. Be held accountable for the behavior of pupils in his/her charge.
   4. Be held accountable to follow Steps 1 and 2 of the discipline process.
2. The Principal or his/her designee shall:
   1. Inform students, staff and parents of the bus rules and regulations.
   2. At Steps 3 and 4, inform the parent/guardian immediately of the action taken by the principal.
   3. Inform Transportation immediately, by telephone, that the parent/guardian contact has been made.
   4. Be responsible to see that the discipline guideline and conduct report process is followed. If the suspension is appealed, the principal shall see that parent/guardian and Transportation are properly informed of the appeal date and time.
   5. See that these rules become a part of the school’s behavior and discipline plan.
3. The Director of Transportation or his/her designee shall:
   1. Recommend appropriate bus rules and regulations to the Superintendent.
   2. Inform bus operators and staff of the bus rules and regulations.
   3. Insure that principal and bus operator are acting according to this Rule and provide staff development.
   4. Inform the bus operator immediately following notification of parent by principal of action taken.