Int. No. 1148-B
By Council Members Kallos, Rivera, Deutsch, Barron, Levin, Rose, Ampry-Samuel, Brannan, Ayala, Holden, Van Bramer and Miller
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the department of education to report policies and goals relating to the provision of school bus transportation services
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 21-996 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by a local law for the year 2019 amending the administrative code of the city of New York in relation to requiring the department of education to report the duration of school bus routes, as proposed in introduction number 89-C, is amended by adding new subdivisions b, c, d, e and f to read as follows:
b. Beginning October 31, 2019, and on or before each October 31 and April 30 thereafter, the department shall submit to the speaker of the council and post on the department's website a report for the relevant reporting period, including:
1. The criteria used to design school bus routes;
2. A description of the department’s goals for the time it should take a vehicle to complete a school bus route, including any particular goals for special education school bus routes and general education school bus routes;
3. A description of any additional goals and priorities of the department in its provision of school bus transportation services for all eligible students, including but not limited to any goals and priorities relating to students in temporary housing and students in foster care; and
4. A summary of the requirements in each school bus vendor’s contract with the department relating to the performance of dry runs prior to the first day of school, a list of school bus vendors who are in compliance with such requirements, a list of school bus vendors who have been assessed with liquidated damages and have no further right of appeal for the failure to have performed dry runs as required by contract, and a list of any vendors who do not fall on either of the aforementioned lists and a description of why not.
c. No later than 15 days before the start of the school year, the department shall provide, by electronic means, to authorized parents and guardians of students who receive school bus transportation services the following information with respect to the students of whom they are parents or guardians:
1. The school bus route for such students for the current school year;
2. The scheduled arrival time at school for each school bus route and the school session time for such students;
3. The scheduled departure time from school for each school bus route and the school session time for such students;
4. The school bus vendor assigned to transport such students;
5. Any process by which authorized parents and guardians, and relevant department personnel can provide feedback on, or make a request regarding, a school bus route; or
6. If such student shall receive school bus transportation services from a pre-k vendor, the contact information for such vendor and any other relevant information.
d. The information required by subdivision c of this section shall be provided to authorized parents or guardians by regular mail if any such authorized parent or guardian does not provide the department with an electronic mail address.
e. The department shall make available to authorized parents or guardians of students who receive school bus transportation services on general education school bus routes or special education school bus routes, on a daily basis, the following information with respect to the students of whom they are parents or guardians:
1. The scheduled arrival time at school for each school bus route and the school session time for such students and the actual arrival time at school for each school bus route if later than the school session time for such students;
2. The scheduled departure time from school for each school bus route and the school session time for such students and the actual departure time from school for each school bus route if earlier than the school session time or later than the scheduled departure time for such students; and
3. The school bus vendor assigned to each such school bus route.
f. No information that is otherwise required to be reported pursuant to this section shall be reported in a manner that would violate any applicable provision of federal, state or local law related to the privacy of information or that would interfere with law enforcement investigations or otherwise conflict with the interests of law enforcement.
§ 2. This local law takes effect on the same date as section one of a local law amending the administrative code of the city of New York, relating to requiring the department of education to report the duration of school bus routes, as proposed in introduction number 89-C for the year 2018, takes effect.
BG
LS # 8390
12/31/18, 3:33pm