Johnston Public Schools

School Transportation Policy – Johnston Public Schools

Johnston Public Schools provides bus service based on eligibility set by School Board policy:

• Elementary students living more than ½ mile from their school

• Middle school students living more than 1 mile from their school

• High school students living more than 1½ miles from their school

Please ensure your child is at the assigned bus stop at least 10 minutes before the scheduled arrival time. Guest riders are not permitted to ensure available seating and safe routing for all eligible students.

Hardship Transportation

Generally, hardships are for students who do not qualify for regular transportation service but have extenuating circumstances that prevent them from getting to school. There are exceptions to this statement, and for that reason, we are sharing the process for how these requests are reviewed, approved, and implemented. Our guiding principle is equity, which does not necessarily mean equality.

Process:

• Families or school leaders submit the hardship request form (linked below) to the Transportation Department.

• A review committee composed of the Transportation Director, Principal Supervisor, a member of the Superintendent’s office, and a member of the Attendance Team reviews requests on a rolling basis.

• The committee will communicate decisions to all relevant stakeholders.

• Appeals must be submitted in writing and will be reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team.

A parent’s personal condition does not automatically translate into a direct student hardship. Each case is reviewed individually to ensure fairness and alignment with the district’s commitment to equitable access.

Please download and complete the Hardship Request Transportation form below to request a change to your assigned transportation. Once completed, the form can be submitted by email to Shelby Pescatore in the Transportation department.