Department reviews transportation law, impracticality rules and penalties after rising noncompliance fines

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce provided senators a detailed overview of state student transportation law, explaining who is eligible for transportation, how “impractical to transport” determinations are made, payment‑in‑lieu rules, allowable transportation modes and statutory penalties for noncompliance.

“State law lays out several groups who are eligible to be transported to and from school by their resident school district,” Jenny Stump, chief of policy and legislative affairs, told the committee. Stump listed the standard K–8 2‑mile rule, provisions for students with physical disabilities and students whose IEPs require transportation, and open‑enrollment rules when requested by parents.

Nut graf: The presentation specified administrative processes that districts must follow when declaring a student “impractical to transport,” the six statutory factors the board must consider, timelines for the determination and appeal paths that include mediation and Chapter 119 hearings. Committee members pressed the department for additional data after staff cited several large fines in recent years.

Key rules and procedures

Stump described two important statutory exceptions: a district is not required to transport a student if the drive time between the assigned public…