Pupil Transportation "Vehicle" Provided by the Transportation
Section within the School Finance Division
October 2015
Volume 29 Issue 1
Contents
1. Safe Routes to School Grants ............................................................................................ 2
2. Students with Lice on a School Bus .................................................................................... 2
3. Crossing the District Boundaries......................................................................................... 2
4. School Bus Safety, Special Education Transportation and Issues Study Committees ........ 2
5. Data Verification Reports Transportation ............................................................................ 3
6. Cooperative/Intermediate Special Education Transportation .............................................. 3
Pupil Transportation Division of School Finance, 1500 Highway 36 W Roseville, MN 55113
Phone: 651-582-8265
Fax: 651-582-8878
http://education.state.mn.us/mde/index.html
1. Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Seeks Applicants for
Safe Routes to School Grants
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) seeking applicant for Safe Routes to
School (SRTS) grants. MnDOT invites Minnesota schools and their partners to apply for Safe
Routes to School grant funds for planning and infrastructure. Applicants must submit an
application to MnDOT by January 8, 2016. Applications are available on the MnDOT website.
MnDOT has set aside $1.7 million in federal funds for SRTS infrastructure projects in 2017 that
would improve student walking and bicycling routes to and from schools. Communities may
request between $100,000 and $300,000 in federal funds for the construction cost of their
project.
View the following links for further information:


View Safe Routes to School latest news release
View Safe Routes to Schools grant and infrastructure information.
For more information, Mao Yang, MnDOT, Assistant Project Development Engineer at 651-3663827 or mao.yang@state.mn.us.
2. Students with Lice on a School Bus
What is your districts policy and procedures for handling students with lice?
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) provides advice on their website. The Minnesota
Department of Education (MDE) does not have a policy when it comes to transporting students
with lice. On the MDH website, enter in a search for lice symptoms. – search for ‘lice’). The
districts school nurse has the expertise to follow through with families.
3. Crossing the District Boundaries
If a nonresident district decides to transport a nonresident pupil within the pupil’s resident
district, the nonresident district must notify the pupil’s resident district of its decision, in writing,
prior to providing transportation. See Minnesota Statute 123B.88, subd.6.
4. School Bus Safety, Special Education Transportation and Issues Study
Committees
The School Bus Safety Committee, Special Education Transportation Committee and the
Transportation Issues Study Committee provide great informational meetings on important
student transportation topics. Everyone is welcome.
The School Bus Safety Committee and Special Education Transportation Committee meet the
third Wednesday of the month at various locations across the state. The School Bus Safety
Committee meets first at 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. and the Special Education Transportation
Committee meets from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. at the same location.
The School Bus Safety group discusses topics related to student safety training, school bus
driver requirements and vehicle safety. Sean McNeilan is the chairperson, his email is
mcneilans@osseo279.org.
The Special Education Transportation Committee discusses issues related to transporting
students with IEPs and the related service of transportation. Kala Henkensiefken is the
chairperson, her email is Kala.Henkensiefken@isd181.org.
The Transportations Issues Study Committee meets monthly to discuss student transportation
issues. Any individuals interested in student transportation are welcome to attend the monthly
meetings. The committee consists of school district transportation administrators, school bus
contractors and other interested parties. The meetings fall on the fourth Wednesday of the
month. Keith Paulson is the chairperson, his email is keith.paulson@anoka.k12.mn.us.
Please contact the chairpersons for meeting locations.
5. Data Verification Reports Transportation
Updated FY15 Data Verification Reports will be posted to the Minnesota Department of
Education (MDE) website under Minnesota Funding Reports (MFR) the week of October 19.
The final deadline for the Data Verification Reports is October 30, 2015. The Data Verification
Report is located:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
MDE Website
Data Center
Data Reports and Analytics
School Finance Reports - Minnesota Funding Reports (MFR)
District – Select “School District”
View reports added in the last – “All Reports”
Category – “All”
Year – Select “14-15”
Report – Select “All”
List Reports - Select the “Transportation Data Verification Report” (reports are listed
alphabetically).
If you have any questions, contact Julie Belisle, MDE Transportation School Finance at 651582-8265 or email julie.belisle@state.mn.us.
6. Cooperative/Intermediate Special Education Transportation
Beginning with FY 2016 cooperatives and intermediates qualify for direct payment of special
education transportation aid. Cooperatives and intermediates should report their expenditures
for during the day transportation in UFARS under Finance Code 723, Special Ed Transportation
or Finance Code 728, Special Transportation. These costs would no longer be allocated to
participating districts for purposes of special education aid calculations. The to-and-from
transportation responsibility will remain with the resident district.
Cooperatives and intermediates can purchase their own buses and would be eligible for
depreciation aid. Please read the document entitled Special Education Bus Depreciation for
more information.
If you have any questions, contact Julie Belisle, MDE Transportation School Finance at 651582-8265 or email julie.belisle@state.mn.us.