Policy 6605 - Student Safety - Walking, Biking and Riding Buses

The Richland School District (the “District”) will adopt a comprehensive school trip safety program that addresses bus safety, walking and biking route plans, vehicle access to the school, circulation and parking at the school, pedestrian circulation on and around the school campus and safety education and enforcement. 

A. Safety Advisory Committee

The superintendent will establish a Safety Advisory Committee (SAC) pursuant to WAC 392-151-017 to develop and maintain a comprehensive school trip safety program. The committee will also develop and maintain the school patrol program in compliance with RCW 46.61.385 and review and approve each school's Safe Routes To School Plan. The superintendent will develop specific responsibilities and reporting relationships of the committee, including how the SAC relates to individual school safety programs. 

B. Bus Safety

The superintendent will develop written rules establishing the procedures for bus safety and emergency exit drills and for student conduct while riding on buses. The procedures for bus safety will include rules restricting bus access to students and those persons authorized by the superintendent and/or his or her designee(s) to ride the bus to and from any school activity. The bus driver is responsible for the safety of his/her passengers. No bus driver will order or allow a student to disembark at other than his/her customary boarding or alighting place unless so authorized. In order to assure the safety of all, the bus driver may hold students accountable for their conduct during the course of transportation and may recommend corrective action against a student. Bus drivers are expressly prohibited from using corporal punishment. Bus drivers are expressly prohibited from allowing anyone to board the bus who is not a student or a person authorized to ride the bus. 

C. Emergencies

In the event of an accident or other emergency, the bus driver will follow the emergency procedures in accordance with the School Bus Driver Handbook (OSPI). A copy of the emergency procedures will be located in each bus. To ensure the success of such emergency procedures, each bus driver will conduct an emergency evacuation drill according to Washington Administrative Code (WAC 392-145-080). The district will conduct such other drills and procedures as may be necessary. 

D. Student Conduct on Buses

The superintendent will establish written rules of conduct for students riding school buses. Such rules will include as a minimum the requirements of WAC 392-145-021 and will be reviewed annually by the superintendent of their designee and revised if necessary. At the beginning of each school year, a bus driver will review the rules with the students at or near the beginning of each school year. A copy of the rules will be available upon request at the district officeor online.

E.Safe Routes To School Plan

Pursuant to WAC 392-151-025, all elementary schools that have students who walk to and from school are required to develop a suggested route plan. All schools areencouraged to havea walking/biking route plan in place. =

The committee will conduct a walking and bikingaudit within aone-mileradius of theschool and develop a Safe Routes ToSchool walking/biking map or plan. The plan willrecommend the best routes for students walking to and from school, as well as the bestroutes to and from school bus stops. In developing the plan, the committeewill consider, at a minimum, the following:

1. traffic patterns;
2. existing traffic controls;
3. existing school patrols;
4. limits on the number of school crossings so that students have to move through the crossings in groups;
5. allowing only one entrance-exit from each block to and from school;
6. routes that provide the greatest physical separation between walking children and traffic;
7. routes that expose students to the lowest speeds and volumes of moving vehicles;and
8. routes that include the fewest number of road or rail crossings.

The superintendent or designee will review the plan with the Safety Advisory Committeeand, upon its approval, distribute the plan to all students with instructions that it be taken home and discussed with parents. The plan will be routinely updated as conditions change. The superintendent or designee will include the plan in the district's School Wellness Plan to encourage parents and students who walk and bike to school to use the recommended routes.

Legal References:

Adoption:

(Formerly #8123)