Current through Bulletin 2024-06, March 15, 2024
(1) A
district shall analyze bus routes that involve a large number of deadhead miles
to determine if an alternative method of transporting students is more
efficient.
(2) Approved
alternatives include the alternatives described in Subsections (3) through
(9).
(3)
(a) The costs incurred in transporting
eligible pupils in a school district MPV are approved costs as long as the
costs demonstrate efficiency; or
(b) The costs incurred in paying a parent or
guardian of an eligible student an allowance in lieu of school
district-supplied transportation are approved costs.
(4)
(a) A
parent or guardian of a student may be reimbursed for the mileage to the bus
stop or school, whichever is closer to the student's home.
(b) The allowance under this Subsection
(4)(a) may not be less than $0.35 per mile, nor greater than the reimbursement
allowance permitted by the Utah Department of Government Operations for use of
privately owned vehicles set forth in the Utah Travel
Regulations.
(5) A
district shall annually perform a cost-benefit analysis as part of its
determination of the LEA specific reimbursement rate and make this analysis
available to the public.
(6)
(a) A district shall make a student mileage
allowance under this Section
R277-600-7 to only one student
per family for each trip that is necessary for all the students within a family
to attend school.
(b) If siblings
are on different school schedule or ride buses that are on significantly
different schedules, a parent or guardian may claim and be paid for student
mileage allowances for multiple students.
(7) If a student eligible for reimbursement
under this Section R277-600-7 or the student's
parent or guardian cannot provide private transportation, with prior approval
from the Superintendent:
(a) the
Superintendent may reimburse an amount equivalent to the student allowance to
the school district to help pay the costs of school district transportation;
or
(b) the Superintendent may
reimburse a school district costs paid for school contracted transportation,
commercial bus passes, or alternative specialized transportation
services.
(8)
(a) A district shall measure and certify a
student's mileage in school district records.
(b) A student's ADA, as entered in school
records, is used to determine the student's attendance.
(9)
(a) The
cost incurred in providing a subsistence allowance is an approved cost under
the following conditions:
(i) a student lives
more than 60 miles (one way) on well-maintained roads from the student's
assigned school, a parent or guardian may be reimbursed for the student's room
and board if the student relocates temporarily to reside in close proximity to
the student's assigned school;
(ii)
payment may not exceed the Substitute Care Rate for Family Services for the
current fiscal year;
(iii)
adjustments for changes made in the rate during the year shall be included in
the allowance; and
(iv) in addition
to the reimbursement for room and board, the subsistence allowance may include
the costs of up to 18 round trips per year.
(b)
(i) A
subsistence allowance is not available to a parent or guardian who maintains a
separate home during the school year for the convenience of the
family.
(ii) A parent or guardian's
primary residence during the school year is the residence of the
child.
(10) A
school district may contract or lease with a third party provider for pupil
transportation services.
(11)
(a) The cost incurred in engaging in a
contract or leasing for transportation is an approved cost at the prorated
amount available to school districts.
(b) The Superintendent shall determine
reimbursements for school districts using a leasing arrangement in accordance
with the comparable cost for the school district to operate its own
transportation.
(c) Under a
contract or lease, a school district's transportation administrator's time may
not exceed 1% of the commercial contract cost.
(12) If a school district contracts or leases
with a third party provider or other LEA for pupil transportation services, it
shall maintain and provide to the Superintendent upon request the following
items as if it operated its own transportation:
(a) eligible student counts;
(b) bus route mileage;
(c) bus route minutes; and
(d) service to students with disabilities and
bus inventory data.
