§ 115C-242. Use and operation of school buses.
§ 115C‑242. Use andoperation of school buses.
Public school buses may beused for the following purposes only, and it shall be the duty of thesuperintendent of the school of each local school administrative unit tosupervise the use of all school buses operated by such local schooladministrative unit so as to assure and require compliance with this section:
(1) A school bus may beused for the transportation of pupils enrolled in and employees in theoperation of the school to which such bus is assigned by the superintendent ofthe local school administrative unit. Except as otherwise herein provided, suchtransportation shall be limited to transportation to and from such school forthe regularly organized school day, and from and to the points designated bythe principal of the school to which such bus is assigned, for the receivingand discharging of passengers. No pupil or employee shall be so transportedupon any bus other than the bus to which such pupil or employee has beenassigned pursuant to the provisions of this Article: Provided, that childrenenrolled in a Headstart program or any More at Four program may be transportedon public school buses, and any additional costs associated with suchcontractual arrangements shall be incurred by the benefitting Head Start orMore at Four program: Provided further, that children with disabilities may betransported to and from the nearest appropriate private school having a specialeducation program approved by the State Board of Education if the children tobe transported are or have been placed in that program by a local schooladministrative unit as a result of the State or the unit's duty to provide suchchildren with a free appropriate public education.
(2) In the case ofillness or injury requiring immediate medical attention of any pupil oremployee while such pupil or employee is present at the school in which suchpupil is enrolled or such employee is employed, the principal of such schoolmay, in his discretion, permit such pupil or employee to be transported by aschool bus to a doctor or hospital for medical treatment, and may, in hisdiscretion, permit such other person as he may select to accompany such pupil.
(3) The board ofeducation of any local school administrative unit may operate the school busesof such unit one day prior to the opening of the regular school term for thetransportation of pupils and employees to and from the school to which suchpupils are assigned or in which they are enrolled and such employees areemployed, for the purposes of the registration of students, the organization ofclasses, the distribution of textbooks, and such other purposes as will, in theopinion of the superintendent of the schools of such unit, promote theefficient organization and operation of such public schools.
(4) A local board ofeducation which elects to operate a school bus transportation system, shall notbe required to provide transportation for any school employee, nor shall suchboard be required to provide transportation for any pupil living within one andone half miles of the school in which such pupil is enrolled.
(5) Local boards ofeducation, under rules adopted by the State Board of Education, may permit theuse and operation of school buses for the transportation of pupils and instructionalpersonnel as the board deems necessary to serve the instructional programs ofthe schools. Included in the use permitted by this section is thetransportation of children with disabilites, and children enrolled in programsthat require transportation from the school grounds during the school day, suchas special vocational or occupational programs. On any such trip, a city orcounty‑owned school bus shall not be taken out of the State.
IfState funds are inadequate to pay for the transportation approved by the localboard of education, local funds may be used for these purposes. Local boards ofeducation shall determine that funds are available to such boards for thetransportation of children to and from the school to which they are assignedfor the entire school year before authorizing the use and operation of schoolbuses for other services deemed necessary to serve the instructional program ofthe schools.
Childrenwith disabilities may be transported to and from the nearest appropriateprivate school having a special education program approved by the State Boardof Education if the children to be transported have been placed in that programby a local school administrative unit as a result of the State or the unit'sduty to provide those children with a free appropriate public education.
(6) School buses ownedby a local board of education may be used for emergency management purposes inany state of disaster or local state of emergency declared under Chapter 166Aof the General Statutes. Under rules and regulations adopted by a local boardof education, its school buses may be used with its permission for the purposeof testing emergency management plans; however, neither the State Board ofEducation nor the local board of education shall be liable for the operatingcost, any compensation claims or any tort claims resulting from the test.
(7) Uses authorized byG.S. 115C‑243. (1955, c. 1372, art. 21, s. 4; 1957, c. 1103; 1969, c. 47; 1973, c.869; 1977, c. 830, ss. 2, 3; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1280, s. 2; 1979, c. 885;1981, c. 423, s. 1; 1983, c. 630, s. 7; c. 768, s. 8; 1987, c. 827, s. 49; 2006‑66,s. 7.18(i); 2006‑69, s. 3(g).)