TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NOTE
No. T-03-09
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: October 28, 2002
TO: Transportation Directors
FROM: Ronnie H. McCallister, Program Director
Operations, Audits, and Safety Subsection
SUBJECT: Transportation
for Teenage Parent Programs
Several years ago information regarding transportation services for Teenage Parent (TAP) Programs
was distributed in a Technical Assistance Note (TAN) entitled, “Transporting Infants, Toddlers, and
Students Enrolled in Teenage Parent Programs” (No. T-96-12). The purposes of this Technical
Assistance Note, “Transportation for Teenage Parent Programs,” are to update some of the
information included in the previous TAN and provide new guidance in this area.
According to Section 230.23166, Florida Statutes (Section 1003.54, F.S., effective January 7, 2003),
each local school district shall establish and implement a teenage parent program. This program is to
serve students who are pregnant, students who are mothers or fathers, and children of the students.
These programs are designed to provide comprehensive educational and ancillary services to
facilitate the parents’ completion of high school (Rule 6A-6.0525, FAC.).
One of the ancillary services to be provided is transportation for the program participants, program
completers who have returned to their home schools, and their children, regardless of distance from
school, pursuant to Section 236.083(1)(b), F.S. (Section 1011.68(1)(b)(f), F.S., effective January 7,
2003). Transportation shall be provided for the teenage parents and their children to and from home
and the child care facility and for the teenage parents to and from the child care facility and the
school, as required for the parent’s educational activities in credit earning hours (Rule 6A-
6.0525(5)(d), FAC.).
Ancillary services may be provided through the coordination of existing programs and services and
through joint agreements between school districts and between school districts and other appropriate
public and private providers (Section 230.23166(3)(c), F.S.; Section 1003.54, F.S., effective January
7, 2003). One such agency is the local School Readiness Coalition. School Readiness Coalitions
coordinate all school readiness programs, following the standards and guidelines established by the
Florida Partnership for School Readiness for children ages 0-5.
TAN# T-03-09
Page Two
October 28, 2002
If the school district provides transportation services for the TAP program, it should consider the
following as it develops and implements policy and procedures to deliver the transportation services.
Child Safety Restraint Systems (CSRS):
The best practice is for the school district to provide the
CSRS for the children of the TAP students. By providing the CSRS, the school district can ensure
that the CSRS is the appropriate one for the child’s age, weight, and height; the CSRS has all parts in
working order; the CSRS has not been recalled; and, the CSRS has not been in a crash.
Securement of the CSRS:
Trained personnel should install the child safety restraint systems on the
bus seats to ensure they are properly secured. Infants below one year of age and twenty pounds
should always be rear-facing. Once the child reaches one year of age and at least twenty pounds, the
CSRS and child may be placed forward-facing. In addition, the CSRS should be installed on seat
frames designed to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) 210, with an appropriate lap belt system. These lap-belt ready seats are routinely called
“FMVSS 210” seats. The best type of lap belt system to appropriately secure a CSRS is one with the
non-adjustable portion coming out of the seat bight (area where the seat back and bottom cushion
meet) one to two inches.
More information regarding CSRS and the transportation of all pre-school age children can be found
in the Department’s publication, Florida Guidelines for Transportation of Pre-school Age Children in
School Buses, available at http://www.firn.edu/doe/bin00044/home0044.htm.
Pick-up and Drop-off Sites:
There are no specific guidelines listed in statute or rule regarding the
distance from a student’s residence to his or her bus stop. Decisions regarding the pick-up and drop-
off points for a student should be made based on stop safety and on the individual’s needs.
Length of Ride:
Rule 6-3.017, FAC., addresses lengths of bus rides for elementary and secondary
students, but not for younger children. Although the program location and the student’s residence
will determine the length of the bus ride, due to the special needs of pregnant women and infants, the
best practice would be for the routes transporting TAP students and their children to be as short as
practical.
Ratio of Adults to Infants/Toddlers:
Many school districts
require the mothers or fathers in the
TAP program to ride the bus with their infant or toddler. There may be situations, however, when
the parents are dropped off before the infants/toddlers or the infants/toddlers ride a different bus. In
these cases, limiting the number of infants/toddlers who are riding unaccompanied by parents for any
length of time to the number that can be safely evacuated in an emergency would be the best
practice.
Feeding:
While there is no mention in statute or rule regarding infants feeding while being
transported, it would be best not to encourage the practice to avoid the possibility of bottles and cups
becoming projectiles during a sudden stop or crash. The safety issues should be explained to the
teenage parents, and they should be encouraged to take care of their child’s feeding needs prior to
boarding the bus.
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Page Three
October 28, 2002
Students with Disabilities:
Students identified as having a disability and enrolled in an Exceptional
Student Education (ESE) program are
eligible to participate in a teenage parent program the same as
their nondisabled peers. ESE students referred for enrollment in a TAP program should have an
individual educational plan (IEP) review prior to enrollment (Rule 6A-6.0525(1)(b), FAC.).
Transportation personnel should be notified if these students have any specialized transportation
needs, as specified on their IEPs.
Records:
The transportation department should be given any information that would be necessary in
an emergency for both the teenage parents and their children. Appropriate transportation personnel
should also receive other information in which they have a legitimate educational interest, including
medical information that could affect the health or safety of the student or infant.
Student Parent’s Attendance:
Rule 6A-6.0525(5)(a)(1), FAC., addresses the childcare
requirements for the children of the teenage parent program participants. It states that childcare is to
be provided “during the hours when the child’s teenage parent is earning credit pursuing a standard
or special diploma.” If the student parent is absent from school, childcare and transportation services
would not be required.
Training:
Bus operators and attendants assigned to buses transporting TAP students and their
children should be given training in first aid, infant/child CPR, blood borne pathogens, and how to
use a belt cutter. Evacuation plans should consider the number of students and CSRSs on the bus,
and the drills should be practiced with the students.
If you have any questions or concerns please call Julie Wammack or me at (850) 488-4405 or e-mail
Ronnie.McCallister@fldoe.org.
RHM/jw
cc: District Superintendents
Dropout Prevention Coordinators
