P7311 School Bus Denial, Suspension, or Revocation of Service

Pursuant to P1464 and by agreement with the United States Department of Justice, the Board of Education has adopted a Student Code of Conduct that applies to all students.  The Code of Conduct takes precedence over and supersedes any other any other guide, matrix, handbook, or other document pertaining to student behavior, discipline, disciplinary consequences, or other subject matter addressed by the Code of Conduct.    Notwithstanding any term to the contrary within this Policy: To the extent that the Code of Conduct addresses the same subject matter as this Policy, the Code of Conduct will be broadly construed to override and control over any provisions of P7311 that conflict with or tend to vary the provisions of the Code of Conduct. 

Administrative Implemental Procedures: 

1. Denial, suspension, or revocation of transportation to individual student or students 

   1. If the conduct of a student or students riding a bus is such that in the judgment of the bus driver the safety of the riders is threatened, the driver may stop the bus and request the assistance of police or security personnel in order to complete the route. 

   2. Principals have the authority to suspend an individual student or group of students from bus service for misbehavior as specified in the policy above. Parents of the student or students involved are to be informed by the most expeditious means possible, but a letter shall also be sent in each case outlining the nature of the problem and indicating the length of the student’s suspension from the bus. The letter shall state what procedures the parents of the student must follow to have transportation restored to the student. 

   3. In the event a student is to be suspended for more than five school days, the principal shall notify the parent of such proposed action and shall, at the request of the parent, establish a time and place for a conference. Such conference normally shall be scheduled within five school days of the suspension and shall provide an opportunity for the student and/or parent to review the issues which led to suspension of the student or students from the bus service. 

   4. If the parent feels that the decision of the principal is improper, the parent may appeal the decision by requesting a hearing in writing within five days of the date of the conference with the principal. Such requests shall be sent to the appropriate Assistant Superintendent. The appropriate Assistant Superintendent shall hold a hearing with the student and parent and other individuals involved and shall render a decision in writing within five days of the hearing. 

   5. The time limits set forth above are to be considered maximum time limits. Every effort will be made to expedite hearings in order to complete the hearing process as soon as possible. 

2. Suspension or revocation of bus transportation 

   1. The principal has the authority to discontinue bus service if the principal has concluded that the conduct of students is such that safety of all riders is threatened, and the individual student or group of students causing the threat to the safety of other riders cannot be identified. The principal must contact the Transportation Director to provide instructions as to the desired revocation of services. After having been notified by the principal, it shall then be the responsibility of the Transportation Director to immediately notify the contract manager of the bus company to provide instructions as to the desired revocation of services. Every effort will be made to restore safe bus transportation as rapidly as possible. 

   2. Prior to discontinuing bus service, the principal shall make every reasonable effort to resolve the problems on the bus. Attempts shall be made to isolate discipline problems, to work with individual parents, to provide temporarily an aide or security person to ride the bus, and to meet with groups of parents to work out solutions. 

   3. If a bus is to be discontinued, parents shall be notified prior to such action. Generally, parents will be notified of the suspension of bus service by a letter from the principal sent through regular mail delivery or expedited mail service as appropriate. However, emergency conditions may arise which require that notices be carried to the parents by the students involved, in which case an official form containing necessary information will be used, and notice shall also be mailed to the parents as well as delivered by the student. Notice to the student with directions to deliver the notice to the parents shall be considered notice to the parents. 

   4. Any notice of bus suspension will also describe the procedure parents must follow in order to restore bus service. 

   5. A meeting for all parents may be scheduled before bus service will be continued. The purpose of the meeting will be to advise parents regarding the critical nature of the problem and to secure their commitment of cooperation. 

   6. The driver and/or school security personnel must obtain approval from the principal before a suspension or change in bus service may be initiated. 

Administrative Responsibility: Operations Division - Transportation Services 

Latest Revision Date: October 2025

Previous Revision Date: February 2009 

Download P7311