Transportation

Transportation Fee Procedure
2013-2014
School Year

Purpose: Implementing a transportation fee provides a source of revenue that offsets a portion of the district's annual transportation costs. Revenue raised allows funds currently budgeted for transportation to be spent for other educational purposes.

Transportation Fees:

• $250 for the first student rider
• $250 for the second student rider
• $500 family cap


• $25 discount for early registration by June 20, 2013
• $25 charge for returned checks
• $25 charge for late registration, after August 9, 2013
• $10 charge for lost card replacement

Exempt Riders:

M.G.L. Ch. 71, Sec. 68 states that a school district cannot charge a transportation fee to students in grades Kindergarten through 6 who reside two or more miles away from the school they are entitled to attend.

Students who qualify for the Federal Child Nutrition Program (Free and Reduced Lunch) will not be charged the transportation fee. However, they must still register.

Refunds: Pro-rated refunds will only be provided to students moving out of the district.

Registration:

1. All students who ride the bus must be issued a school bus pass and must register in order to be issued a bus pass.
2. Only FULL DAY/FULL YEAR passes are available.
3. Students will only be allowed to ride the school bus to which they are assigned to be transported from "home to school" and "school to home."

Mileage determination:

• The district will use http://maps.yahoo.com to determine distance between home and school.
• Disputed distance will be measured from the student's driveway at the street (public way) ending where students are dropped off at school.
• Further review, if necessary, can be made by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

Timeline:

• Mail-in registration for fee exempt participants May 15 - June 20, 2013. Passes will be provided to students at their school during the first week of the 2013-2014 school year.


• Online registration is available by going to the Ipswich Public Schools website, clicking on Budget/Finance/Online Payments and then Online Payments in the left column. An additional fee is charged by the bank for online purchases made with a credit card (see the website for details) and a $0.25 fee is assessed for online electronic check payments.


• Early Registration: By June 20, 2013, at the discounted rate of $225 per child, with a family cap of $450


• Regular Registration: June 21, 2013 through August 9, 2013 at the rate of $250 per child, with a family cap of $500


• Late Registration: After August 9th, at the rate of $275 per child, this includes a late fee of $25


• Week of August 12, bus routes will be determined and students will be assigned their bus.


• Week of August 19, bus routes will be published on the local cable network and on our website (www.ipswichschools.org).


• A bus pass will be provided to each qualifying student at his or her school during the first week of the 2013-2014 school year.

REGISTRATION FOR SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION

REGISTRATION FOR FEE EXEMPT PARTICIPANTS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)