How do I know if my student is eligible for school transportation?

This is a great question and one we hear a lot from parents or guardians on. There are specific guidelines to which we offer student transportation in our school district. Please review the Board Policy and feel free to call Transportation with any questions you may have.

SCSD School Board Policy 5720
​Pupil transportation is a service provided by the Schenectady City School District for certain pupils with disabilities and to those resident public and private school pupils in grades Pre-K through 12 who live within the mileage ranges specified below:  

a) Students in Grades Pre-K through 5 who attend elementary schools which are more than 1.0 but less than 5.5 miles from their legal residence; and 

b) Students in Grades 6 through 12 who attend middle and high schools which are more than 1.5 but less than 5.5 miles from their legal residence. 

What should I do if my student’s bus has not arrive by the pick-up/drop off time?

We understand that pick-up and drop-off times are very important to the parent or legal guardian. Bus vendors are given a 10 minute window on each side of the designated time. Example: Pick up time is at 8:00 a.m., the bus can arrive as early as 7:50 (10 minutes early) or as late as 8:10 (10 minutes late). If your bus runs out of this window of time, please feel free to use the following process:

First, please reach out to your bus vendor (numbers are posted of the Transportation main page). If you are unable to contact the bus vendor, please do not hesitate to call the Transportation Office directly at (518) 370-8103.

In addition, if you have an issue with your bus arriving late consistently, please call the Transportation Office ASAP and communicate your concerns. We will address your concerns with the vendor and track progress.

What do I do if I need to cancel my student’s pick up or drop off?

There may be times when a parent or guardian encounters an unexpected situation and will need to cancel a student’s pick up or drop off. If this happens and your student goes to a corner stop, the good news is there is no need to contact anyone, because the bus may be picking up other students at that location. However, if they receive curb-to-curb busing (which is student specific), please contact your bus vendor or transportation as soon as possible. We will do our best to accommodate  your request. 

What happens if my student needs to come home sick from school?

Unfortunately, it is inevitable that a student will fall ill at school and will need to be brought home early to start their recovery. When this occurs, the school (partnering with Transportation) will provide a medical bus from the hours of 8:30 AM to 12:45 PM. This request will come from school staff and will be communicated to our Transportation Team.  After 12:45 PM, due to buses preparing for their afternoon routes, the parent or guardian will need to make their own arrangements for their student’s transportation.

Can my child get off the bus without a parent or legal guardian?

• Students in Grades 1-12 are allowed to exit the bus unaccompanied by a parent, guardian or assigned adult*.

• For the safety of our students, it is the practice of the district that a parent, guardian or assigned adult* must be present for students in in Pre-K and Kindergarten.  In an instance where a parent, guardian or assigned adult* is not present, the driver WILL NOT let the student off at the stop and the student may be returned to school or an alternate location. 

• In addition, it is also the practice of the district to require a parent, guardian or assigned adult* be present for students in which the Committee on Special Education (CSE) has determined special transportation or accommodations be made as required by the student’s individualized education program (IEP). 

• Exceptions to this practice may be accommodated by completing the “Request for Student Exception” form found in the Forms section of this department’s website.

*An “assigned adult” is an adult other than the parent or legal guardian of a student, for which the parent or legal guardian has given permission to accompany the student off the bus at the stop.  Permission can be granted by completing the “Request for Student Exception” form.

Is my student eligible for curb-to-curb bussing?

• In certain situations, the Committee on Special Education (CSE) may make a determination that special transportation or an accommodation to transportation be made. 

• This would be done by the CSE in accordance with Part 200 of Regulations of the Commissioner of Education and required by the student’s individualized education program (IEP). 

• For questions regarding your student’s eligibility, please contact their school or the Office of Special Education at 518-881-3413. 

Can my student be picked-up or dropped off at an alternate location?

Yes, in some instances, we may be able to accommodate a request to transport your student to an alternate location.  Please know that any requests to alter a pick-up or drop-off requires advance notice of up to 3-school days.  The following requests may be able to be accommodated by completing the “Request for Transportation to Babysitter or Daycare Location” form:

• Requests for transportation to child care locations* within the attendance zone of the school the child attends. 

• Children are eligible for such transportation when the distance between the child care location and school exceeds the district's eligibility distance for transportation between home and school.  

• Requests for transportation to child care programs** that are licensed or registered pursuant to Section 390 of the Social Services Law.

*A child care location shall mean a place situated within the school district, other than the child's home, where care for less than 24 hours a day is provided on a regular basis. This definition includes, but is not limited to, a variety of child care services such as day care centers and in-home care by relatives and non-relatives.

**Child care programs that are licensed or registered can be found on the Office of Children and Family Services website.  It is important to note that the district can only transport to licensed or registered child care programs within the boundaries of the school district in accordance with Section 3635(1)(e) of Education Law.  

Can my student bring their friend home on the bus for a play date? 

Especially for younger students, bringing home a friend after school can be an exciting time. Unfortunately, when adding a student unexpectedly to a bus may take away a seat from a student that is originally on the roster. These requests need to be monitored closely and we cannot guarantee the accommodation. If the students do ride the same bus, please call the Transportation Office in advance with this information. We will communicate your request to the bus vendor and ensure it goes without a hitch! 

My family is temporarily unable to live in our home. How do I go about getting transportation during this time?                              

 Please let your student’s school know about your situation. They will send a district representative to confirm where you are temporarily living. Once determined, this person will contact Transportation with the changes. We will then contact you with the temporary transportation information.