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Provisional Transportation Waiver Program

Transportation Department
St. Johns County School District
Provisional Transportation Waiver Program (PTWP)

  1. Eligibility:
    1. Students enrolled in the St. Johns County School District who are eligible for transportation services in accordance with Florida’s Two (2) Mile Rule and Gabby’s Law are eligible for Provisional Transportation Waivers per the Provisional Transportation Waiver program (PTWP).
    2. Students enrolled in the St. Johns County School District who are ineligible for transportation services in accordance with Florida’s Two (2) Mile Rule and Gabby’s Law are ineligible for Provisional transportation Waivers under the Provisional Transportation Waiver Program.
    3. Students attending academies out of zone or under out of zone hardship transfers are ineligible for Provisional Transportation Waivers under the Provisional Transportation Waiver Program.
  2. Applying for Provisional Transportation Waivers:
    1. Only the Transportation Department may approve Provisional Transportation Waivers.
    2. Parents/guardians may apply for Provisional Transportation Waivers.
    3. Principals may apply for Provisional Transportation Waivers on behalf of students and parents/guardians on an as needed basis.
    4. Parents/guardians and/or principals may apply for Provisional Transportation Waivers at any time during the year.
    5. Provisional Transportation Waiver applications are available at the PTWP tab of the Transportation Department website.
  3. Types:
    Provisional Transportation Waivers are considered under the following circumstances only:

      1. Split Custody Orders: Split custody orders when both parents reside within the student’s assigned school zone. There are two types of Provisional Transportation Waivers for split custody orders:
        1. Both parents reside within the school zone along the route of the one (1) school bus.
        2. Both parents reside within the school zone along two (2) different routes for two (2) different school buses.
    1. School District Employees: Students/children of school district employees requiring transportation services between schools using existing buses, routes, and stops on a space available basis.
    2. Student Volunteers: Students volunteering to support school programs other than their zoned/assigned school using existing buses, routes, and stops on a space available basis.
    3. Kindergarteners:
      1. Parent/guardian authorizes Transportation to discharge a kindergartener at their assigned stop in the custody of an older sibling(s) aboard the bus.
      2. Parent/guardian authorizes a designated emergency contact (listed in e-school) to receive their kindergartener at their assigned bus stop.
  4. General Criteria:
    1. Bus and/or buses must have space availability for the Provisional Transportation Waiver student.
    2. Student riders under a Provisional Transportation Waivers must utilize existing buses, routes, stops, and schedules only.
    3. Student riders under a Provisional Transportation Waiver may not transfer from bus to bus.
    4. Transportation approves Provisional Transportation Waivers for the period requested not to exceed the school year.
    5. Provisional Transportation Waivers are applicable only for the approved student, buses, routes, schedules, and stops.
    6. “Bus passes” of any type from any source are not authorized for use on district school buses at any time.
    7. Provisional Transportation Waivers are not permitted to overcome ineligibility for transportation services or changes in a student’s eligibility for transportation services.
  5. Emergency Provisional Waivers:
    1. Emergency Provisional Transportation Waivers in accordance with School Board Rule Chapter 8.00 (6) are intended to address emergency circumstances affecting a student and family for a period of five (5) days or less.
    2. School principals must contact the Director or Assistant Director for the Transportation Department by phone to initiate an Emergency Provisional Transportation Waiver.
    3. The Transportation Department will provide verbal approval of Emergency Provisional Transportation Waivers to principals, dispatch, and bus operators as appropriate.
    4. Emergency Provisional Transportation Waivers are temporary and conditional, valid for up to five (5) school days.
  6. Exceptional Student Education (ESE) School Buses:
    1. Provisional Transportation Waivers are permitted for students eligible for specialized transportation services in accordance with paragraph 3 above.
    2. Provisional Transportation Waivers are not permitted to establish specialized transportation services.
    3. Provisional Transportation Waivers are not permitted for siblings of ESE student riders to ride ESE buses.
    4. Eligibility for ridership of ESE buses:
      1. School based IEP Team approved IEP supporting specialized transportation services in accordance with the state’s five (5) criteria
      2. School based approved 504 Plan requiring specialized transportation services in accordance with state’s five (5) criteria
  7. Communications:
    1. Applicants will receive immediate email confirmations when applications are electronically received by the Transportation Department.
    2. The Transportation Department will inform applicants by email regarding Provisional Transportation Waiver decisions.
    3. The Transportation Department will inform applicable school principals regarding approved or suspended Provisional Transportation Waivers.
  8. Approval Process:
    1. Provisional Transportation Waiver applications are reviewed and approved/disapproved by the Transportation Department based on operational criteria.
    2. Provisional Transportation Waivers are approved by the Transportation Department following the reconciliation of eligible student riders aboard buses (normally after the second (2nd) full week of school).
  9. Parent/Guardian Contingencies:
    1. Parents/guardians are encouraged to make alternative transportation arrangements until when/if Provisional Transportation Waiver applications are approved by Transportation.
    2. Parents/guardians are encouraged to develop contingency plans for transportation services in the event provisional transportation waivers are disapproved by Transportation.
  10. Waiver Suspensions:
    1. The Transportation Department may suspend Provisional Transportation Waivers based on operational criteria within two (2) weeks of notice to parents/guardians.
    2. The Transportation Department may suspend Provisional Transportation Waivers for reasons outlined in the Student Code of Conduct at any time.
    3. Parents/guardians may suspend Provisional transportation Waivers by contacting the Transportation Department.
  11. Student Accountability:
    1. The Transportation Department will register students with approved Provisional Transportation Waivers as eligible riders for buses in Bus Planner (routing system) to ensure accountability of students and effective communications with parents/guardians, schools, and bus operators.
    2. Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring their students ride the appropriate bus or buses and/or board/disembark the bus or buses at the appropriate bus stops as per the approved Provisional Transportation Waiver.
    3. Parents/guardians are encouraged to opt into School Messenger alerts by text to receive timely updates regarding transportation services.
    4. From a mobile device, Text “Yes” to 67587. You will receive a response text message stating, “You’re registered 4 School Messenger notifications”.
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