Safety is a top priority for the Transportation Department. Proper conduct on school buses is required from all transported students. Transportation is a privilege contingent upon proper behavior, and WDCCSD has established behavior guidelines for all students. Each student and their parent/guardian is responsible for the student’s behavior before, after, and during transportation.

A student’s privilege to ride the school bus or use school-provided transportation may be suspended or revoked. This revocation is not considered an exclusion, expulsion, or suspension from school, and the district does not provide alternative transportation for students who lose this privilege. Decisions regarding students with special needs will consider their IEP needs and requirements.

Families are also responsible for their child’s behavior at the designated bus stop. The same rules apply there as well as in the line-up at school.

These rules are established to ensure a safe ride for all students.

In the case of bad weather, the district may close, start late or dismiss early.  If you would like to be notified directly when changes are made, you can sign up for this free notification service provided by the State of Iowa. Iowa School Alerts has changed to the new GovDelivery system.  If you were signed up in the past you will need to sign up again at the link below.  Western Dubuque Schools is a participant in the program which means you can sign up to receive free e-mail and/or text message notification when classes for our district will be dismissing early, started late or cancelled. Click here to go directly to the signup page. 

This service is the first notification made.  The local TV and radio stations will also be notified of changes and they will post when they are able.   

STUDENT SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION ELIGIBILITY- Code No. 711.1

Elementary and middle school students living more than two miles from their designated school attendance center and high school students living more than three miles from their designated attendance center shall receive transportation to and from their attendance center at the expense of the school district.

Enrolled students requiring special education shall meet the distance requirements stated above for transportation to and from their designated attendance center at the expense of the school district. Costs associated with required specialized transportation or other required transportation in the student's individual education plan, other than to and from the child's home, and transportation to and from a special education instructional program shall be borne by the special education program. Required unique transportation according to the student's individualized education plan to and from the student's home to the special education program shall be the expense of the school district whether provided by the school district or by the parent.

Parents of students who live where transportation by bus is impracticable or unavailable may be required to furnish transportation to and from the designated attendance center at the expense of the school district. The School Board may require the parent to transport their children up to two miles to connect with school bus vehicles at the expense of the school district when conditions deem it advisable. It shall be within the discretion of the School Board to determine such conditions. Parents, who transport their children at the expense of the school district, shall be reimbursed at the rate per mile set by the state. A student may be required at the School Board's discretion to meet a school bus vehicle without reimbursement up to three-fourths of a mile.

Transportation arrangements made with a neighboring school district shall follow the terms of the agreement. Students, who choose to attend a school in a school district other than their resident school district, shall provide transportation to and from the school at their own expense unless the districts have an agreement to transport such students.

VIDEO CAMERAS Most buses have been equipped with video equipment for the primary purpose of preventing disciplinary problems and vandalism on the bus. Access to and use of video from buses shall be limited. Only the transportation director, bus drivers, principals, police, and the District Administrator shall be authorized to view the video for the purpose of documenting a problem and determining which student(s) may be involved. Disciplinary action may be taken with students based on video documentation. School administrators may authorize pupil services personnel to view segments of a specific tape if viewing the video is beneficial to their role in assisting the student.CO-CURRICULAR TRIPS
(Athletics, Music, Field Trips, etc.)
Although the bus driver is ultimately responsible for the safety of all who ride the bus, an adult chaperone (school staff or parent) will always be on board during co-curricular trips outside of the district. The school or parent chaperone is responsible for the management of the students on the bus, student attendance counts, and follow-up with parents and/or administrators concerning student behavior problems. Chaperones should check with the driver for driver expectations regarding noise level and student behavior. Students are expected to follow all school rules and expectations.

Nearly one third, over 1500 students, of Western Dubuque CSD Students attend a Parochial school.  Parochial transportation is provided by State code, IAC 285-1 14-17,  in one of three ways; direct transportation by district buses to school of attendance, contracting transportation services to a 3rd party to school of attendance, or by parent reimbursement.   The method of service is at the sole discretion of the resident school district.  

Iowa Dept of Education policy and reimbursement procedures may be found here.

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