Sec.10-76d-19. Transportation

Each board of education shall provide, as a related service, safe and appropriate transportation as required to implement the individualized education program for each child with a disability.

(a) Travel time. Total travel time shall not exceed one hour each way to and from a special education facility. All decisions relating to travel time shall take into account the nature and severity of the child's disability and the child's age. If an appropriate placement cannot be made without exceeding the one-hour travel time limit, written parental consent to longer travel time shall be obtained prior to implementing the transportation service.

(b) Operators of vehicles. Operators of vehicles shall be given such in-service training as is necessary to acquaint them with the specific needs of the children being transported and to equip them to meet those needs. Operators of vehicles shall meet the licensure requirements of the department of motor vehicles.

(c) Vehicles. All vehicles shall comply with requirements of the Department of Motor Vehicles and shall be equipped so as to ensure safe and appropriate transportation.

(d) Transportation aides. Each board of education shall provide transportation aides where such aides are ascertained to be necessary to ensure safe and appropriate transportation. A transportation aide shall be assigned to each vehicle transporting a child whose individualized education program specifies the need for such an aide.

(e) Transportation provided by parents. If the board of education requests that the parents transport a child, it shall reimburse the parents for the cost of such transportation at the standard mileage reimbursement for a privately owned automobile established by the Internal Revenue Service. Such reimbursement shall be for a round trip to transport the child to, and retrieve the child from, the program. No parent shall be required to provide transportation, nor shall any board of education be relieved of the obligation to provide transportation for a child because of the inability or unwillingness of parents to provide transportation. No board of education shall be required to reimburse parents for the cost of transporting a child if the parents reject the transportation offered by the board of education unless reimbursement is ordered by a hearing officer who finds the transportation offered by the board was not appropriate to meet the child’s needs. In lieu of a hearing, the parents and the board may resolve their disagreement through mediation or resolution session.

(Effective September 1, 1980; Amended July 1, 2013)