Source: http://regulations.delaware.gov/register/october2004/final/8%20DE%20Reg%20541%2010-01-04.htm
Timestamp: 2018-07-17 01:56:17
Document Index: 264170018

Matched Legal Cases: ['§3124', '§122', '§122', 'art 382', 'art 40', 'art 382', 'art 40', 'art 382', 'art 40', 'art 382', 'art 40', 'art 382', 'art 40']

8 DE Reg 541 10-01-04
The Secretary of Education seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1105 School Transportation. A new section, 22.0, has been added to include the responsibilities of non-public, non-profit schools for the administration of their transportation systems under the rules and regulations of the Department of Education. Some additional language is included in the final version to further clarify the issues in 22.3 and 22.4. Section 13.2.1 was also amended in order to allow for a different payment schedule for school districts that begin school before September 1st. Instead of changing the payment date for everyone as appeared in the proposed regulation, the final version allows for differences in the district pay schedules.
Notice of the proposed regulation was published in the News Journal and the Delaware State News on July 26, 2004 in the form hereto attached as Exhibit “A”. Comments were received from the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens and the State Council for Persons with Disabilities.
In response to the comments that the nonpublic school standards, Section 22.3 have no analogous exception as in 8.7, the Department has added an eligibility exception statement in Section 22.3 similar to the statement in section 8.7 for families of nonprofit, nonpublic school students who are unable to walk or should not walk from home to school and return.
In response to the concern about Section 19.0 based on 14 Del.C. §3124 the Department’s response remains the same as in the April 2004 reply to the Councils that “the comments are not specific to the amendments being considered and in addition the concerns that were expressed about the regulation largely reflect the statutory provisions”.
The Secretary finds that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1105 in order to add a new section, 22.0, to include the responsibilities of non-public, non-profit schools for the administration of their transportation systems under the rules and regulations of the Department of Education. Section 13.2.1 was also amended in order to allow for a different payment schedule for school districts that begin school before September 1st.
For the foregoing reasons, the Secretary concludes that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 1105. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §122, 14 DE Admin. Code 1105 attached hereto as Exhibit “B” is hereby amended. Pursuant to the provision of 14 Del.C. §122(e), 14 DE Admin. Code 1105 hereby amended shall be in effect for a period of five years from the effective date of this order as set forth in Section V. below.
The text of 14 DE Admin. Code 1105 amended hereby shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “B”, and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code in the Administrative Code of Regulations for the Department of Education.
The actions hereinabove referred to were taken by the Secretary pursuant to 14 Del.C. Ch 29 on September 16, 2004. The effective date of this Order shall be ten (10) days from the date this Order is published in the Delaware Register of Regulations.
1.0 Responsibilities of Local Superintendents: Local District Superintendents or their designees shall assume the following responsibilities concerning the transportation of students:
2.0 Conditions for School Bus Contractors: School Bus Contractors shall agree to the following conditions in their contracts:
3.0 Responsibilities of School Bus Drivers: Local school districts shall have a policy concerning the responsibilities of school bus drivers which, at a minimum, includes the following:
4.1.2 Be fingerprinted to allow a criminal history check at both state and federal level and meet the same requirements (pre-licensing) specified for school bus drivers in the Del.C.
5.0 Student Conduct on School Buses: School Districts shall have a policy concerning the behavior of students on school buses that shall, at a minimum, contain the following rules which if not followed may result in the suspension of bus riding privileges.
6.0 Procedures for Operating Buses: Each school district shall adopt the following procedures for the operation of their school buses:
6.20 On the bus route every effort should be made to load children before turn-arounds are made and unload them after the turn-around is made.
7.0 Accident Reports: All drivers or contractors shall complete accident reports and submit them to the district person in charge of transportation in order to assure accurate information pertaining to school bus accidents.
7.1.5 Follow-up information, such as the actual cost of repairs, should be added to the accident report wherever it is filed; i.e., in federal, state or local offices, so that the record of the accident is complete. Other pertinent information relating to the accident that should be added later, if the information is readily available, includes:
8.0 Transportation Benefits: Transportation benefits shall be provided for pupils in grades K-6 whose legal residences are one (1) mile or more from the public schools to which they would normally be assigned by the district administrations and for pupils in grades 7-12 whose legal residences are two (2) miles or more from the public schools to which they would normally be assigned by the district administrations.
8.3 All school bus routes shall be measured from the first pick-up point to the respective schools served in the approved sequence, and then by the most direct route back to the first pick-up point.
9.0 Bus Capacities: Bus capacities for children in grades K-6 shall be established by the manufacturer on the basis of 13 inches per child, and for Grades7-12 secondary pupils the capacity shall be established on the basis of 15 inches per child. A mixture of the criteria will be used to plan loads when pupils come from both of the above groups. Actual bus loads may not exceed this guidance. Standees shall not be permitted under normal circumstances; however, exceptions may be made in emergency situations on a temporary basis.
10.0 Loading and Unloading: Each school shall have a loading and unloading dock or area, rather than load or discharge passengers onto the street. On school grounds all other traffic is prohibited in the loading and unloading area during school bus loading/unloading operations.
11.0 Unique Hazards: Unique hazards are considered to be conditions or situations that expose the pedestrian to rare or uncommon traffic dangers. This definition is not intended to include hazards representative of situations which may exist throughout the State.
11.3 The Unique Hazards Committee will process the request and report its findings and recommendations to the Department of Education for their consideration and action. A copy of the report will also be forwarded to the local board of education involved. 11.2.7 List any actions to resolve the problem taken by the town, the city or county.
11.4 The Unique Hazards Committee consists of representatives from the Department of Transportation; the New Castle County Crossing Guard Division; Delaware Safety Council; Traffic Control Section, the Delaware State Police; and the Department of Education Associate for School Transportation (Chairman).
12.0 Contingency Plans: Each school district shall have contingency plans for inclement weather, accidents, bomb threats, hostages, civil emergencies, natural disasters, and facility failures (environmental/water, etc.). These plans shall be developed in cooperation with all those whose services would be required in the event of various types of emergencies. The school transportation supervisor, school administrators, teachers, drivers, maintenance and service personnel, students, and others shall be instructed in the procedure to be followed in the event of the contingencies provided for in the plans.
13.0 Reimbursements for School Bus Ownership and or Contracts: School buses may be either state owned/district operated or contracted.
13.2.1 Contractors shall be paid regularly [at the end in the middle] of the month. The total contract shall be paid in ten (10) installments, with the first payment [at the end in the middle] of September. [For those school districts opening before September 1, payments may be made as early as thirty (30) days following the start of the school year with follow-up monthly payments to be made no earlier than the date used for the first payment.]
13.3 Any transportation costs caused by grade reorganizations and/or pupil re-assignments during the school term after October 1, other than the occupancy of a new school building, shall be at the expense of the local school district unless approved by the Department of Education.
13.5 Reimbursement to the local school district for contracts or for district-owned or leased buses shall be made on the basis of a Department of Education formula approved by the State Board of Education. This formula shall take into consideration school bus cost and depreciation, fixed charges, operations, maintenance, driver and aide wages. Reimbursement shall be made only for transportation of eligible pupils and exceptions approved by the Department of Education and the State Board of Education.
13.6 Contract allowances for buses when there are Emergency Days (forgiven by the Department of Education with the consent of the State Board of Education), Specially Declared Holidays or Strikes by Teachers.
13.6.1 School bus contractors and school districts shall be paid the normal rate of pay as provided for in their contract, less the allowance for maintenance and administration. Driver (including layover allowance) and aide allowances shall be paid.
14.0 Transportation Formulas for Public School Districts Operating District, Lease, or Lease Purchase Buses Items which are not on this list must be approved by the State Department of Education. Any purchase, commitment, or obligation exceeding the transportation allocation to the district is the responsibility of the district.
15.0 Transportation Allowances for Individuals: Requests for transportation allowances shall be made in writing to the Department of Education by districts with justification. This information is necessary in order for the Department to determine a pupil’s eligibility. The responsibility for establishing a claim for transportation allowances rests upon the district and claimant.
15.2.3 Districts shall maintain a monthly record of mileage traveled on a form provided by the Department of Education.
16.0 Cost Records: Cost Records shall include the following costs directly attributable to the transportation of eligible students on district school buses:
17.0 Bus Replacement Schedules: The time begins for a new bus when it is placed in service. A bus shall have the required mileage prior to the start of the school year. Once a bus is placed in service for the school year, it will not be replaced unless it is unable to continue service due to mechanical failure.
In accordance with the Attorney General’s opinion of June 18, 1974, regarding the use of buses purchased from State-allocated transportation funds for purposes other than the regular transportation of pupils to and from school, the provisions of Title 14, Section 1056, School Property, Use, Control and Management, shall apply.
18.0 School Bus Inspections: The Delaware Motor Vehicle Division has two periods of time when all school bus owners shall have their buses inspected each year, once during January or February and the second yearly inspection during June, July, or August.
19.0 Transportation for Students with Disabilities: Transportation or a reimbursement for transportation expenses actually incurred shall be provided by the State for eligible persons with disabilities by the most economically feasible means compatible with the person’s disability subject to the limitations in the following regulations:
19.10 School Transportation Aides: With the approval of the Department of Education, a state funded school bus aide may be provided on school buses serving special schools/programs for children with disabilities.
20.0 Transportation for Alternative Programs: Costs for transportation shall be paid by the state from funds appropriated for student transportation if transportation is provided by extending already existing routes. Shuttle services that extend existing routes will be allowed. Additional routes established to transport students to and from the Alternative Programs or other special transportation designs will not be paid by the state from the school transportation appropriation and shall be included in the Alternative Program budget and be paid from the state allocation for alternative programs and/or the districts 30% share. Planning committees for these programs shall include the transportation supervisors who will be providing services. In addition, those supervisors must coordinate planning with and submit their transportation plans to the Education Associate for School Transportation at the Department of Education.
21.1.1 Pursuant to 14 Del.C. 2910, this regulation shall apply to the contracting for a program of drug and alcohol testing services necessary to enable public school districts, charter schools, and any person or entity that contracts with a school district or charter school to provide transportation for State public school students, to comply with such drug and alcohol testing requirements applicable to Delaware public school bus drivers as are now, or may hereafter be, imposed by federal law.
“Alcohol” means the intoxicating agent in beverage alcohol, ethyl alcohol or other low molecular exercising weight alcohols, including methyl or isopropyl alcohol.
“CDL” means a commercial drivers license issued pursuant to 21 Del.C. Chapter 26.
“Department”means the Delaware Department of Education.
“Drug”means the controlled substances for which tests are required under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 49 31306 CFR Part 382 and 49 CFR Part 40, and include marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), and opiates.
“Negative result” means a verified negative drug test result or an alcohol test result lower than the Federal standard as defined by the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 31306, 49 CFR Part 382 and 49 CFR Part 40.
“Positive result” means a verified positive, adulterated, or substituted drug test result, an alcohol test result equal to or greater than the Federal standard or a refusal to take a drug or alcohol test as defined by the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 31306, 49 CFR Part 382 and 49 CFR Part 40.
21.3 Federal Regulations: Employers shall comply with the drug and alcohol testing regulations issued by the Secretary of Transportation of the United States pursuant to 49 U.S.C. ' 31306 and located at 49 CFR Part 382 and 49 CFR Part 40.
21.4.1.2.1 Documentation of drug and alcohol testing results shall flow directly from the Consortium/Third Party Administrator Medical Review Officer (C/TPA/MRO), as defined by the provisions of 49 CFR Part 382 and 49 CFR Part 40, to the employer. Copies of positive results shall be sent to the transportation supervisor for the school district or charter school and the Department for accounting and audit purposes.
22.2 Those nonpublic, nonprofit schools with families requesting transportation allowances shall have a Federal ID number. [ The nonpublic, nonprofit school shall submit the initial transportation form, provided by the Department of Education, no later than August 31st of each year.]
22.3 Transportation allowances shall be made only for those eligible students (Delaware residents attending Delaware schools) who meet residence-to-school proximity guidance of one (1) mile or more for grades K-6 and two (2) miles or more for grades 7-12 and who make application to the nonpublic, nonprofit school for such transportation allowances. These applications for transportation allowances shall be signed by the parent, guardian, or Relative Caregiver and certified by a school administrator. [Families of a student who would not otherwise be eligible for the allowance may receive the allowance if a physician certifies that the student is unable to walk or should not walk from home to school and return.] The responsibility for establishing a claim for transportation allowances rests upon the claimant, and all records of this request shall be kept on file in the nonpublic, nonprofit school office. Such records shall be made available for audit by a representative of the Department of Education or the State Auditors.
22.6 [The nonpublic, nonprofit school shall submit the initial transportation form, provided by the Department of Education, no later than August 31st of each year.] The nonpublic, nonprofit school or designated agent shall submit the final transportation form provided by the Department of Education no later than October 3rd of each year. All information shall be based on September 30th enrollment and eligibility. After the submission of the final transportation form no further adjustments for eligibility shall be made for the remainder of the school year.