In accordance with the Education Act, school boards may provide home-to-school or school-to-school transportation to their students who are within the Board’s jurisdiction or control. In all cases (other than those situations specified in the Education Act), transportation is a privilege, not a right, and it may be withdrawn at any time.
ELIGIBILITY
- Transportation may be provided for elementary and secondary school students when the walking distance from the student’s verified address to their home school is equal to or greater than the distance listed below. A student’s verified address may include a permanent legal address, a child-care location or a shared custody arrangement.
| GRADE LEVEL |
KILOMETRES |
| Junior Kindergarten - Senior Kindergarten |
.80 |
| Grades 1-8 |
1.60 |
| Grades 9-12 |
3.2 |
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All distances referenced shall be the shortest walking route, measured from the point at which the laneway or driveway of the student’s verified address joins the roadway to the nearest roadway or approved entrance to the school property.
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The distance from a student’s verified address to the assigned bus stop location shall not exceed the transportation eligibility distances.
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The Executive Director of Niagara Student Transportation Services (NSTS) will review safety hazards in accordance to established criteria and consider providing transportation services.
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Transportation may be provided to students in exceptional circumstances, with the approval from the Superintendent of Education and the Associate Director of Education, Corporate Services.
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Transportation may be provided to students, who attend a school other than their home school for approved system-wide program attendance, with the approval from the Superintendent of Education and the Associate Director of Education, Corporate Services.
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Every effort will be made to keep student transportation time from home to school at a reasonable level. Whenever possible and practical, the transportation time is not expected to exceed one hour.
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In situations where a student does not qualify for transportation under the Board’s eligibility criteria, it is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure that their child gets to and from school safely.