Non-Public School Transportation
***The 2024-25 Non-Public School Transportation Request form is available to download at the bottom of this page.***
PLEASE NOTE: The New York State deadline for submission of 2024-25 Non-public School Transportation requests is April 1, 2024.
The Bedford Central School District provides transportation for in excess of 220 students to 33 non-public school locations in accordance with New York State Education Department Regulations and Bedford Central School District Board of Education policies.
New York State Education Law requires all non-city school districts to provide transportation to students enrolled in non-public schools up to a distance of 15 miles. The distance in each case is measured from the student's home to the school on publicly maintained highways by Transfinder, the computerized bus routing program used by the District.
In order to obtain transportation for their students, parents must file a written request for transportation with the Transportation Department by April 1st of the preceding school year; or within 30 days of establishing residency in the school district.
(A link to the District's Non-Public School Transportation Request form can be found at the bottom of this page.)
Non-Public School Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the distance eligibility requirements for non-public school transportation?
A. Eligibility for non-public school transportation is based on the distance between the home address of record and the school of attendance. This distance is calculated over publicly maintained roads by Transfinder, the computer software program used by the District.
- In-District Schools - Per Board of Education policy, transportation is provided to all students in grades kindergarten through 12 residing more than 1/2 mile from the school they attend.
- Out-of-District Schools - Per New York State Education Department regulations, transportation is provided to all students up to a distance of 15 miles from their home address of record to the school of attendance.
Q. What if my home address is more than 15 miles from the school I would like my child(ren) to attend?
A. Provided that a bus to the school has been established by a distance eligible student, students residing more than 15 miles from their school may ride the bus from/to a designated pick-up point. The designated pick-up point must be a public school within the District boundaries.
Q. What is the minimum age requirement for transportation to a non-public school?
A. Similar to public schools, students must be in kindergarten and must be five (5) years of age prior to December 1st of the current school year to be eligible for transportation.
Q. Are non-public school students required to register with the Bedford Central School District?
A. Yes. Students attending non-public schools are registered with the District and enrolled in the school they attend as Transportation Only students.
To register, all new students are required to present the following:
- Proof of age – examples of acceptable forms of documentation included, but are not limited to a birth certificate, baptismal record or a passport;
- Record of Immunizations and a Health Certificate from a New York State licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner; and
- Proof of residency and physical presence within the District – two forms of proof are required. Examples of acceptable documentation include, but are not limited to:
- Income tax forms, deed or lease, pay stub, voter registration document(s), driver's license, learner's permit, non-driver identification, utility bills, government-issued identification cards with the local address or membership documents issued by public agencies or entities where membership is based upon residency;
- A written statement by a third-party landlord, owner or tenant from whom the parent(s) or person(s) in parental relation leases or with whom they share property within the District; and/or
- A written statement by a third party, who is a resident of the District, relating to the parent(s)' or person(s) in parental relation's physical presence in the District.
- If applicable, proof of parental relationship or guardianship - examples of acceptable documentation include, but are not limited to:
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- Affidavits indicating either 1) that the person seeking enrollment is the parent with whom the child lawfully resides; or 2) that they are the person(s) in parental relation to the child, with total/permanent custody and control and describing how they obtained the same (i.e., guardianship or by other means); or
- Evidence of custody including, but not limited to, judicial custody orders or guardianship papers.
It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to inform the District’s Registrar of any change in residency and/or address.
Additional Registration information can be found on the Pupil Personnel page of the District website.
Q. Are parents of non-public school students required to request transportation to the non-public school?
A.Yes. Parents must submit a non-public school transportation request form by April 1st of the preceeding school year. A separate request form must be submitted for each student. Students who are new residents to the District must submit a written request within thirty (30) days of establishing residency in the District to be eligible for transportation.
Q. Does a transportation request form have to be submitted every year?
A. Yes. A new request form must be submitted prior to April 1st every year. Request forms do not carry over from year to year.
Q. Where can I obtain a transportation request form?
A. A link to the Transportation Request Form can be found at the bottom of this page. The form can also be obtained from your child's school or the Transportation Department.
Q. When is a request considered to be "late"?
A. A request is "late" if filed after the April 1 deadline by a current District resident or more than thirty (30) days after moving into the District for new residents.
Q. Are school districts required to honor "late" requests?
A. School districts must honor a late request if:
- the student is distance eligible,
- a bus to the requested school has already been established by another distance eligible student,
- there is sufficient space on the current bus for the student and
- there is no additional cost to the District to provide transportation.
Q. How can I obtain bus schedule information for my child(ren)?
A. Letters providing bus schedule information are mailed to all students in the first two weeks of August prior to the start of the school year. Schedule information can also be obtained by contacting the Transportation Department.
Q. What if I would like my child(ren) picked- up or dropped-off at a location other than my home address (day care, sitter, after school program)?
A. If you would like your children picked-up or dropped-off at a location other than your home address, an Alternate Stop/Day Care request must be submitted to the Transportation Department. The location of the alternate stop must be within the boundaries of the District and must be within fifteen (15) miles of the students non-public school. We are not authorized to pick-up or drop-off students outside the District boundaries other than their school of attendance. Transportation is NOT provided to after school activities (dance classes, tae kwon do, etc.) or any type of religious instruction.
Q. Can my child(ren) have classmates/friends from their school ride the bus with them?
A. Only if the students are Bedford resident students. We are only authorized to transport District resident students.
Q. When will transportation start for my child at the beginning of the school year?
A. Transportation for non-public school students begins on the first scheduled day for Bedford Central School District public schools.
Q. Will transportation be provided on days my child's non-public school is in session but Bedford Central School District schools are not in session?
A. Transportation is provided according to the calendar provided by each non-public school except for the following days when transportation is NOT provided:
- Labor Day - September 2, 2024
- Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day - October 14, 2024
- Veterans Day - November 11, 2024
- Thanksgiving - November 28, 2024
- New Year's Day - January 1, 2025
- Martin Luther King Day - January 20, 2025
- Lunar New Year - January 29, 2025
- President's Day - February 17, 2025
- Memorial Day - May 26, 2025
- Juneteenth - June 19, 2025
Transportation to non-public schools will not be provided in the event of a closure due to inclement weather in either the Bedford Central School District or the district in which the non-public school is located. In the event of a delayed opening for the Bedford Central School District, non-public schools will operate on the same delay.