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Board begins first read of tightened transportation discipline policy; special-education review requested
Summary
Board discussed Policy 8.10, a proposed transportation discipline policy that would align bus write-ups to SWIS definitions, add documentation requirements and outline removal-from-bus procedures; district counsel and special-education legal review were requested before a vote.
The school board held a detailed first-read discussion of Policy 8.10 on May 7, a proposed transportation-discipline policy the policy committee said would clarify minor and major bus infractions, documentation procedures and potential consequences including temporary removal from bus privileges.
Committee members said the draft was revised multiple times and had been reviewed by district counsel. Several board members and administrators raised two concerns: that a paragraph as written risked exposing investigative notes (possible FERPA implications) and that the policy needed explicit review for students with disabilities so the district would preserve free and appropriate public education (FAPE) obligations.
Doctor Barnhart, who asked to be unmuted during the public meeting, urged the board to send the policy to special-education counsel. "Discipline looks different for certain students with disabilities," she said, and recommended an additional review to ensure compliance and appropriate protocol.
Board members also debated enforcement details, training for bus drivers and transportation staff, and whether the posted copy on BoardDocs was the correct, most recent draft. The chair agreed to re-post the corrected copy and route the policy to the district's special-education legal specialist and King's Spry for review before the next (voting) meeting.
Next steps: Administration will publish the corrected policy draft on BoardDocs, send it to special-education counsel for review and return with legal feedback and a clean first-read copy for the voting session. No policy was adopted at the work session.
