CLOVIS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PLAN

1450 Herndon Avenue • Clovis, California 93611-0599 • (559) 327-9000 • FAX (559) 327-9109

Introduction:

The Home-to-School (HTS) Transportation Reimbursement program was implemented by California Assembly Bill (AB) 181 (Chapter 52, Statutes of 2022) and amended by AB 185 (Chapter 571, Statutes of 2022). It provides reimbursement funding for school districts and county offices of education based on the prior year eligible transportation expenditures and prior year Local Control Funding Formula transportation-related add-on funding.

California Education Code (EC) Section 39800.1 states (a) As a condition of receiving apportionments under Section 41850.1, a local educational agency shall develop a plan describing the transportation services it will offer to its pupils, and how it will prioritize planned transportation services for pupils in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, and any of grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and pupils who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. The plan shall be adopted by the local educational agency's governing board on or before April 1, 2023, and updated by April 1 each year thereafter. The initial plan for the District was adopted by the governing board on March 29, 2023.

This program will provide school districts with the first increase in State HTS Transportation funding since 2012-13. With the implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula, District HTS Transportation apportionments were frozen at the 2012-13 level. Many districts completely dismantled their Transportation programs, contracted out for services, or provided fee-based Transportation. Clovis Unified continued to remain dedicated to providing services to students based on guidelines established through board policies.

The enclosed plan is an update to the in-depth plan developed in March 2023 after extensively engaging all educational partners. The Governing Board will take action on the plan during the March 20, 2024, Board meeting. The plan will be updated annually.

I.	REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES:

What does the passage of AB181 mean for Clovis Unified School District for the 2024-25 fiscal year:

Revenue Calculation
		
Home To School Transportation Expenses Projected, 2023-24
	$19,043,597

Less Capital Outlay
	
4,053,432
	
Less Nonagency Expenditures
	0
	
Total Eligible Expenses
	$14,990,165
	
Estimated 60% Reimbursement
	8,994,099
	
Less Transportation add-on, 223-24 LCFF Calculator
		2,632,953
	
Total New, Ongoing Revenues
		$ 6,361,146

Following are the projected HTS Transportation expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year, 2024-25.

	Fiscal Year
	
Expenditures and Other Financing Uses
	2024-25
	
2000-2999 - Classified Salaries
	$ 7,511,503
	
3000-3999 - Employee Benefits
	4,525,668
	
4000-4999 - Books and Supplies
	2,430,551
	
5000-5999 - Services and other Operating Expenditures
	1,299,668
	
6000-6999 - Capital Outlay
	1,919,816
	
7000-7999 - Other Outgo
	0
	
Total Expenditures
	 $	16,449,452

The focus of this plan is HTS Transportation Services. It’s important to note that the District spends an additional $2.0M annually transporting our students on over 10,000 field trips and co-curricular events.

II.	 Clovis Unified Transportation Guidelines:

Under existing law, school districts are required to provide transportation for students whose individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plans specify that transportation services are to be provided to a student. Aside from these students, the CUSD Board has made the determination to provide no cost transportation to eligible students to facilitate students getting to and from school. The student eligibility criteria are articulated in Board Policies No. 3540 – Student Transportation Management, No. 3541 – Transportation Routes and Services, and No. 3541.2 – Transportation for Students with Disabilities.

A. Transportation for General Education Students:

Board Policy No. 3541 outlines the general policy of the District and the desire to make a transportation program available for students who live outside an established Radius Zone, as defined below, and for those meeting the eligibility criteria for ridership. Assigned School and Special Pockets, as used in this Board Policy, shall be as defined below.
a. Radius Zone: The area measured by drawing a circular radius from a central location established at the school site or educational center campus and around the school/campus within the attendance boundary.
b. Assigned School: The school within the student’s attendance area or the school where the student has been assigned.
c. c. Special Pockets: Areas of a neighborhood that are outside the radius zones but with similar walking conditions of students not receiving transportation, and areas which the District Superintendent or designee has defined as critical to the academic success and attendance.

1. The established Radius Zone distance for students shall be as follows:
a. For grades K-6, the Radius Zone will be drawn one mile from the Assigned School.
b. For grades 7-12, the Radius Zone will be drawn two and a half miles from the Assigned School.
c. The exception to the above rule is if, due to facility space, the student is transferred through the cap and bus process.

2. Modifications to the Radius Zone distance may be for Special Pockets as outlined below or to accommodate students living in areas where “adequate walking” pathways are not available. Students who live inside Special Pockets as defined may or may not be eligible for home-to-school transportation regardless of the distance to the Assigned School.

B. Transportation for Students with Disabilities:

Board Policy 3541.2 describes the coordination of special education transportation with home-to school transportation and sets forth criteria for meeting the transportation needs of students with special needs. The District shall provide appropriate transportation services for a student with special needs when transportation services are required by his/her individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 accommodation plan. The specific needs of the student shall be the primary consideration when an IEP team is determining the student's transportation needs. Considerations may include, but are not limited to, the student's health needs, travel distances, physical accessibility and safety of streets and sidewalks, accessibility of public transportation systems, midday, or other transportation needs, extended-year services, and, as necessary, implementation of a behavioral intervention plan.

The most impressive part of the Clovis Unified Transportation program for students with special needs is that a bus driver will visit a student’s home prior to the start of services. These are our most fragile students. The District understands how important it is to earn the trust of their families. The home visit is a way to introduce themselves to the student and their family. You won’t see this type of service in any other district. Our drivers build meaningful relationships with these families.

C. Foster Youth and Homeless:

In collaboration with Fresno County Department of Social Services, Child Welfare (“DSS”), Clovis Unified School District has developed and implemented written procedures regarding how transportation will be provided to/from a foster student’s school of origin when it is determined to be in the best interest of the student to attend such school of origin.

If there are additional costs incurred in providing such transportation and if it is determined to be in the best interest of a child in foster care, District will provide transportation to the school of origin of such child in foster care if:

1. DSS agrees to reimburse Clovis Unified School District for the cost of such transportation; 2. Clovis Unified School District agrees to pay the cost of such transportation; or
3. Clovis Unified School District and DSS agree to share the cost of such transportation.

When we determine a student is homeless, we provide transportation utilizing current CUSD bus routes, Fresno and Clovis Public Transportation, Attendance Officer transports and/or gas vouchers or a combination of these depending on the age of the student, the permanency of the housing, and/or the availability of a vehicle.

D. Students Qualifying as Socioeconomically Disadvantaged:

The Transportation Department has collaborated with District Transition team members to determine school sites with students who qualify as socio-economically disadvantaged, live within our District walk boundaries, but have a tough time making it to school every day. As a result, bus routes funded with LCFF Supplemental Grants were presented to the Governing Board to approve the addition of three bus routes for students who may not have otherwise qualified for HTS transportation services. Additionally, one van has been purchased for each area transition team to enable them to transport students if an urgent need arises.

III.	Conclusion:

The Clovis Unified Transportation team is the best of the best! It is the mission of the Transportation Department to provide safe, efficient, quality transportation to students while offering and promoting an enhanced learning environment.

Our team of professional school bus drivers transport approximately 5,500 general education students and an additional 900 students with disabilities on home to school routes. Our amazing mechanics work diligently to ensure our fleet of 125 diesel, 35 compressed Natural Gas, and 9 electric school buses are maintained and reviewed regularly to ensure a safe ride for our students.

In California, Assembly Bill 579 requires all new school bus purchases be zero-emission by 2035. This will be a challenge for a district with a footprint as large as Clovis Unified. We’ll continue to monitor this legislation and the technological advances made with zero emission school buses.

School bus drivers are the first District employee to greet our students in the morning and the last District employee to see them at the end of their day. They build special relationships with our students and are often the most trusted District employees. Without these Transportation Services many students would be unable to make it to school each day.