SDUSD Transportation Eligibility Guidelines by Serviced Program
Special Education Program
o Transportation is based on student level of service as specified in the student's IEP
o Special Education Program Siblings may be scheduled to ride when seats are available on case-by-case basis.
o Parents must submit to the school of attendance, a “Transportation Application” each school year for a Special Education Sibling to be considered for transportation.
Dedicated Magnet
o Dedicated Magnet programs are currently at Barnard elementary, CPMA, Longfellow, Language Academy, Muir, and SDCPA
o A student is a “Qualified” rider if:
Student lives outside a 5 mile walkout from the magnet school based on transportation’s Versatrans routing software
o Students that live within 5 miles of the school will not be scheduled for service
o Students must live within the San Diego Unified School District attendance boundaries to qualify for transportation
o Bus routes and stops were established for each dedicated magnet school site.
Dedicated Magnet Bus Allotments and Stops
o Students will be scheduled based on home address and prioritized based on distance from established magnet stops.
o Wait lists will be generated and maintained by the site once bus allotment is at capacity
o Space Available is no longer serviced
VEEP / Voluntary Enrollment Exchange Program
o A student is a “Qualified” rider based on patterns established by Neighborhood Enrollment Options
VEEP Boundary Patterns
o A minimum ridership of 25 students in a High School boundary is required for a stop to be placed in that high school boundary
o Students outside the established pattern will not be qualified for scheduling
o Students must live within the San Diego Unified School District attendance boundaries to qualify for transportation
o Wait lists will be generated and maintained by the site once bus allotment is at capacity
o Stops are created in a central safe location within the established VEEP pattern
o Only one stop will be placed in each high school attendance boundary
o Special Education Stops take priority in scheduling and in some cases replacing previous school year VEEP stops
o Space Available is no longer serviced
Magnet Program
o A student is a “Qualified” rider if:
Student lives outside a 5 mile walkout from the magnet school based on transportation’s Versatrans routing software
And, there are more than 25 passengers in their resident “High School Cluster”
o Students that live within 5 miles of the school will not be scheduled for service
o Students must live within the San Diego Unified School District attendance boundaries to qualify for transportation
o A minimum ridership of 25 students in a High School boundary is required for a stop to be placed in that high school boundary
o Wait lists will be generated and maintained by the site once bus allotment is at capacity
o Only one stop will be placed in each high school attendance boundary
o Space Available is no longer serviced
Late Activity
o Qualified riders are VEEP and Magnet students, no other
students are authorized to ride
o Students must possess and use a current Zpass card to ride
the Late Activity bus
o The assigned
Late Activity stops will be the same stops used for home to school transportation
Home to School Shuttle Service
San Diego Unified School District’s Home to School Shuttle Services are designed to promote equitable access to education by prioritizing transportation for students with the greatest needs. Key service features include:
- Priority Access: Transportation services are prioritized for low-income students, students with disabilities, homeless and foster youth (as defined under the McKinney-Vento Act), and Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) through 6th grade students.
- Targeted Routing: Shuttle routes are strategically developed to serve neighborhoods identified as having high needs and safety concerns, ensuring students can travel to and from school safely and reliably.
- Expansion Plans: As resources allow, SDUSD aims to expand shuttle services to additional elementary school sites within high-need clusters, including Lincoln, San Diego High, Morse, Hoover, and Crawford.
McKinney-Vento / Foster Youth Transportation Service
In alignment with federal mandates under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, San Diego Unified School District ensures that students experiencing homelessness or in foster care receive uninterrupted access to education through comprehensive support:
- Eligibility: Students qualify under McKinney-Vento if they lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes those living in shelters, motels, vehicles, or temporarily with others due to economic hardship.
- Student-Centered Decisions: Arrangements are made based on best interest determinations, considering each student’s academic continuity, emotional well-being, and access to their school of origin.
- Flexible Transportation Options: SDUSD utilizes a variety of transportation methods to meet individual needs, including school buses, district vans, contracted transportation services, public transit passes, and cost-sharing arrangements between districts. Reimbursement programs for families may also be available when appropriate.