NC Education Code · NC Policy Manual
NC 1506-1.13 Transportation
Plain English summary
This regulation assigns transportation cost responsibilities for children with disabilities to various agencies depending on placement type. Local boards of education are generally responsible for transportation costs within their systems and for privately placed students, while state departments (DHHS, Correction, Juvenile Justice) bear responsibility for students in their programs. Reimbursement is capped at the School Support Division allowance per mile unless hardship is demonstrated and approved.
Key requirements
- Local boards of education are responsible for providing or paying the costs of transportation for children with disabilities enrolled in schools or programs in their local school systems.
- Local boards of education are responsible for providing or paying the costs of transportation to any private residential or non-residential program, if the student has been placed in or assigned to that private program by the local board of education.
- For preschool children with disabilities, payment of such transportation costs must be made from either federal or state preschool program funds.
- If a child with disabilities is assigned to or enrolled in any residential or non-residential program operated by or under the jurisdiction or control of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Correction or the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Department operating the program or having the program under its jurisdiction or control is responsible for providing or paying the costs of transportation.
- When a child is enrolled in a local school system and is counted for funding purposes by the school system but attends a class or classes at a Department of Health and Human Services program, the local school system is responsible for providing the transportation to the Department of Health and Human Services program and return to the local school system or home.
- If a local area mental health center places a child with disabilities in an educational program, the local area mental health center shall pay for the transportation of the child to/from the program.
- The costs of transportation for a child with disabilities placed in or assigned to a school or program outside the state shall be paid by the local educational agency or state operated agency placing or assigning the child in that school or program.
- In no event shall reimbursement for the costs of transportation paid for any one child exceed the School Support Division allowance per mile unless it is demonstrated by the child or his/her parent that such limitation will work a hardship or is unreasonable.
- Hardship justification must be approved by the local educational agency and appropriate state agency.
Affected parties
- children with disabilities
- preschool children with disabilities
- local boards of education
- North Carolina Department of Public Instruction School Support Division
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Correction
- Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
- local area mental health centers
- local educational agencies
- state operated agencies
- parents of children with disabilities