TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NOTE
No. T-03-03
Bureau of School Business Services
School Transportation Management Section
Contact:
Julie Wammack
Department of Education
Charlie Crist, Commissioner
(850) 488-4405
SC 278-4405
DATE:July 23, 2002
TO: Transportation Directors
FROM: Ronnie H. McCallister, Program Director
Operations, Audits, and Safety Subsection
SUBJECT: Transportation Services to Day Care Facilities
Transporting students of all ages involves significant safety issues, but transportation services to day care
facilities are especially important because often the services are for young children. We encourage local
school transportation departments to develop policies and procedures regarding transportation services to
day care facilities.
There are many important considerations when addressing transportation to day care facilities, including
whether to pull into the facility parking lot or to stop on the street to unload, and whose responsibility it is
to supervise the children when loading and unloading. Transportation departments throughout the state
handle this service in various ways. In all districts, however, individual consideration is given to each day
care due to the differences in the facilities’ physical structures and personnel. If a district policy is to pull
into the day care center, there may be an increased risk of a collision as the bus enters the parking lot. If
the policy is for the bus to load and unload on the road side, the need for personnel to escort or monitor the
students as they cross the street needs to be assessed.
Palm Beach District Transportation Department pulls into a day care parking lot if there is adequate space
for the bus to do so and after careful consideration for student and property safety. Students are only
dropped off with an adult present, and if there is no adult present the student is returned to the school.
Sometimes the attendant walks the student(s) to the door of the facility, but the day care workers are
responsible for receiving the student(s). If there are continual problems with a day care or lack of
cooperation, the parents are notified that the transportation service to the day care will be discontinued.
Brevard District’s policy is to pull into the day care parking lot, if feasible. Miami-Dade District prefers to
enter the day care lot, but will stop on the street when the day care personnel are available to meet the bus.
They will not transport to a day care facility that does not require its personnel to meet the bus. Osceola
District requires the day care facility to sign a “hold harmless” agreement, releasing the school district
from liability, since the day care is acting “in loco parentis” (on behalf of the parents).
Transportation to Day Care Facilities
July 23, 2002
Page Two
These examples are to provide ideas and assistance in developing or modifying day care transportation
procedures, especially if none currently exist. Obviously, they would not apply if your policy and practice
prohibits transportation to or from day care centers.
If you have any questions or concerns please call Julie Wammack or me at (850) 488-4405.
RHM/jw
cc: District Superintendents
Beth Hooper
Rufus Elliott
Dr. Cathy Wooley-Brown
