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    ​​​Basic Education Circulars (BECs)

    ​Transportation to Approved Private Schools

    24 P.S. §13-1374

    Date of Issue: July 1, 2000
    Replaces: Transportation to Approved Private Schools, 24 P.S. §13-1374, July 1, 1999

    Purpose

    Section 1374 of the Public School Code of 1949 governs transportation of exceptional students, including the transportation of eligible children to approved private schools. This Basic Education Circular provides guidelines for the provision of transportation.

    Provision of Transportation

    Eligible school-age students placed in an approved private school must be provided, according to §1374, with either room and board at that school or transportation to and from that school. This means that:

    1. If a student is enrolled in a day program at an approved private school, he/she should be given transportation during the Monday-to-Friday school week.
    2. If a student is enrolled seven days a week in a residential program, he/she should be given transportation to school at the beginning of the regular school year and at the close of the regular school year.
    3. If a student is enrolled in a residential program at an approved private school that does not have a weekend maintenance program, he/she should be given transportation home at the close of school on Friday and transportation to school prior to the start of classes on Monday.

    In addition, the student should be given transportation to and from school when the approved private school closes for holidays, the school's semester break or any other reason.

    Under Section 1374 a school district retains the option of providing, and paying for, maintenance (room and board) at the private school in lieu of transportation. However, if the approved private school itself does not have maintenance facilities during those periods when the school is closed, then district-provided maintenance during those periods is, if not a virtual impossibility, an unreasonable option. Therefore, transportation of school-age students placed in approved private schools shall be provided according to the guidelines set forth above.

    The School Code provides that the cost of such transportation shall be charged to the school district of residence regardless of whether it is the school district or the intermediate unit that actually provides the transportation (Section 2509.1). However, transportation costs for nonresident children placed in a private home, as described in Section 1305 of the school code, are the responsibility of the district in which the private home is located.

    Bureau/Office Contact

    Division of Subsidy Data and Administration
    Bureau of Budget and Fiscal Management
    Pennsylvania Department of Education
    Forum Building
    607 South Drive
    Harrisburg, PA  17120​
    Phone: (717) 787-3195