It is the mission of the Transportation Department to improve student achievement by providing safe, timely and efficient transportation of all eligible KCPS students that attend public schools in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and ordinances, as well as Board of Education policies and procedures, while conserving as much district funding as possible for direct application in the classroom. The Transportation Department’s goals and objectives are to continue to provide safe, timely, and efficient transportation by working with the district to explore cost-saving alternatives while maintaining or improving service levels, per Board of Education policies and procedures. Please refer to the
Transportation Handbook for detailed transportation policies.
- Resident students who live 1.5 miles or more from the school they attend are eligible for transportation.
- Resident students who live less than 1.5 miles from their resident Comprehensive Community School or Signature School of attendance are not eligible for transportation. The safe transport of these students to and from school must be the responsibility of the parent.
- District transportation is not provided for students who elect to attend a comprehensive community school other than their neighborhood school.
- Students who are eligible for transportation are not required to walk more than six (6) blocks to their bus stop location.
Student Safety: A Shared Responsibility
The safety of Kansas City Public Schools students remains a shared responsibility. Parents/guardians are responsible for getting students on the bus safely. The district’s responsibility begins when the student boards the bus. Parents must consider the prevailing climate of the neighborhoods in which they live. If parents believe their neighborhood is unsafe, they should take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their children while walking to and from bus stops and/or while waiting for the bus to arrive. The district reserves the right to modify or cancel transportation services at any time within the parameters set forth by applicable, laws regulations and board policy.
Transportation is a Privilege
Both the state of Missouri and the KCPS Board of Education consider District Transportation to be an extension of the school, and thus the expectation is that student behavior while on District Transportation mirrors student behavior in its classrooms. It is a privilege to ride District Transportation and as such that privilege can be revoked at any time for a single act or a series of actions involving inappropriate student conduct.
Transportation Address & Home Address
- Only one address may be used for both morning and afternoon transportation. No student may be picked up at one address and returned to a different address.
- Bus stops for students attending their neighborhood school are based on home addresses.
- Bus stops for students attending signature schools may be based on a transportation address (i.e., day care provider, child care center, or relative’s home). If used, the transportation address will be the only address considered for the child. For safety reasons, no child can be provided transportation to or from two (2) different addresses.
- Parents need to notify the school of the correct home or transportation address.
- The school enters either the home or transportation address on the student record system.
- Upon receipt of the student record, the student will be scheduled for transportation from either the home or transportation address.
- The parent should call the school or the Transportation Department for transportation information approximately 48 hours after the correct address is reported to the school. If there is not an existing stop, the parent will be responsible for the transportation until a permanent bus stop is established. It may take up to seven (7) business working days depending on the number of requests to establish a new stop. The busiest time of the year is fall start-up. Stop requests will be processed as quickly as possible, but please be patient. The beginning of the new school year is the busiest time of the year.
- New students are informed of the nearest existing bus stop based upon the student’s reported home or transportation address. If there is no existing bus stop within the district’s bus stop guidelines, a new stop will be created. When a new stop must be created, parents should contact the school or the Transportation Department approximately 48 hours after enrolling the student in school. If a new stop must be created, the parent will be responsible for the transportation until a permanent bus stop is established. It may take up to seven (7) business working days depending on the number of requests to establish a new stop.
Student Transfers & Change of Address
- All transfers and/or address changes should be reported to the student’s school at least three (3) weeks before the scheduled change. Transportation cannot be scheduled until the Transportation Department receives an updated student record with the new school assignment or new home/transportation address.
- The Transportation Department does not have the ability to make address changes. Address changes must be submitted through the school.
- If an existing stop is within the walk guidelines, the student will be assigned to that existing stop.
- If a new stop has to be created, transportation will be the parents’ responsibility until new transportation, within the District’s bus stop walk guidelines, is arranged.
- For an address change, school personnel should enter the home and/or transportation address in the student record system as soon as the new address is reported.
- If a student can be served from the new address by an existing stop, school personnel can retrieve the new transportation information from the student record system.
Bus Stop Change Requests
- Requests for bus stop changes should be called into the Transportation Department.
- Stop locations will only be changed if the walk distance to the bus stop exceeds the District’s 6-block guideline.
- A Safety Supervisor will evaluate an existing stop if a request is received. A new stop will then be created or the requested change will be denied.
- Requests for a bus stop change due to other extenuating circumstances will be decided on a case-by-case basis by the Transportation Department.
