Iowa Administrative Code

43.12(1) General. Except for insulin-dependent diabetics, an applicant for a school bus driver’s authorization is to undergo a biennial physical examination by a certified medical examiner who is listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. The applicant will s…

43.13(1) General. The local board of education or its designee will issue a school bus driver’s authorization for each approved driver annually once the provisions of Iowa Code section 321.375 are satisfied. 43.13(2) Authorization to be carried by driver. Every school bus driver …

for semiannual school bus inspections for each vehicle inspected by the department. The department will present for payment a fee statement to the owner of each vehicle inspected. For districts transporting pupils through a private contractor under rule 281—43.3(285), the fee sta…

school buses: 43.15(1) Request bids unless the bus is a used or demonstrator bus. 43.15(2) Notify dealers of intent to purchase school transportation equipment and request bids. 43.15(3) Reserve right to reject all bids. 43.15(4) Require all bids to be on comparable equipment tha…

follows: 43.16(1) The board may pay all of the cost of each bus from funds on hand in the general fund or other funds allowed by statute. 43.16(2) Bonds may be voted to purchase equipment, and funds so derived are to be used for that purpose. [ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/…

school district officials shall send all vehicles used for student transportation to designated inspection locations as scheduled. A sufficient number of drivers or other school personnel shall be available at the inspection to operate the equipment for the inspectors. The fee fo…

student transportation, whether publicly or privately owned, to be inspected annually and all necessary repairs made before the vehicle is put into service. The inspection and repairs will be recorded on a form prescribed by the department of education. The completed form is to b…

approved by the department of education and provided for in Iowa Code section 321.376(2). All new drivers will, within the first six months of employment, successfully complete the “new driver STOP class” approved by the department. All current school bus drivers are to attend th…

43.2(1) Joint consultation will be held by the area education agency boards involved. The initial steps may be undertaken by the area education agency administrators. If there are no difficulties and agreement is reached, the route is approved and no further action need be taken.…

see that insurance is carried by all contractors engaged in transporting pupils for the district in the coverages and limits as determined by the board of education. [ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]

undertakes to transport school pupils for the board, in privately owned vehicles, shall sign a contract that includes the following provisions: 43.21(1) To furnish and operate at the contractor’s own expense a legally approved vehicle of transportation transporting only children …

undertaking to transport school pupils for the board in school district-owned vehicles shall sign a contract substantially similar to that prescribed by the department of education. The contract will contain the following provisions: 43.22(1) To conform to all rules of the board …

321.343, regardless of whether or not there are any pupils in the bus, and regardless of whether or not there is an automatic signal at the crossing. After stopping, the driver shall open the entrance door, shall look and listen for approaching trains, and shall not proceed to cr…

43.24(1) The driver of a school vehicle shall not smoke in the vehicle or on any school property. 43.24(2) The driver shall not permit firearms or other weapons, nor ammunition, to be carried in the passenger compartment of any school vehicle transporting pupils. 43.24(3) The dri…

directors of any school district as an authorized extracurricular activity. 43.25(1) The use of school buses for field trips and exercises, and the planned use of school buses in connection with actual emergency procedures to be carried on in cooperation with local, state or nati…

spring, each pupil who is transported in a school vehicle shall be instructed in safe riding practices and participate in emergency evacuation drills. Documentation of these drills will be maintained locally for five years and made available upon request. [ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24,…

43.27(1) A pretrip inspection of each school vehicle will be performed and recorded prior to each trip to determine if any defects or deficiencies exist that may affect the safety of the vehicle’s operation or result in its mechanical breakdown. The pretrip inspection report is t…

established for school buses at or near schools. [ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]

capable of communication between the driver of the bus and the school’s base of operations for school transportation. [ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24] DIVISION VIII COMMON CARRIERS…

in privately owned vehicles are to be under contract with the local board of education. This rule does not apply to individuals who transport their own children or other children on a not-for-hire basis. The contract will include, but not be limited to, all provisions prescribed …

carrier when used exclusively for student transportation to and from school. “Common carrier” refers to a person or entity in the business of transporting goods or people for hire as a public service. 43.30(1) Vehicles. a. The vehicles need not be painted yellow and black as requ…

No differentiations may be made between pupils of different districts except as provided in Iowa Code section 285.1(12). A private contractor may establish a variance in fees when differences in how transportation is provided are necessary in order to meet student needs. [ARC 779…

transportation. The contractor undertakes to transport only those families indicated by the board of education. [ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]

children for hire, in addition to their own, are private contractors. These individuals are to be under contract and obtain an appropriate driver’s license and a school bus driver’s authorization. [ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]

children or other children on a not-for-hire basis, is considered to be a school bus and is to meet all requirements for the type of vehicle used, including semiannual inspection. This rule is not intended to govern the use of passenger vehicles during the time the vehicles are n…

transportation of all nonresident pupils. No differentiation may be made in charges due to differences in distance or grade in school. [ARC 7793C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]

trips, educational tours, or other types of transportation services as permitted in Iowa Code section 285.10(9) and 285.10(10) are to deduct the cost of trips from the total yearly transportation cost. These costs may not be included in the pro rata costs that determine the charg…

manufacturers of school transportation vehicles and equipment from misunderstanding and confusion, all manufacturers shall provide equipment meeting all Iowa vehicle construction requirements described in this chapter as well as all federal statutes, regulations, industry standar…

school or school district and regularly used to transport students to and from school or school-related activities, but not including a charter bus or transit bus, meets all applicable FMVSS, and is readily identified by alternately flashing lights, National School Bus Glossy Yel…

44.3(1) Aisle. All emergency doors shall be accessible by a 12-inch minimum aisle. Aisles are to be unobstructed at all times by any type of barrier, seat, wheelchair, tie-down, or other object(s), with the exception of a flip seat that is installed and occupied at a side emergen…

vehicles constructed for the transportation of children with mobility disabilities of such severity that the children are unable to use the regular service door entrance. Vehicles constructed for transporting these children will meet all FMVSS relating to school bus construction …

44.5(1) General information. These vehicles may be used for student transportation in accordance with the following general provisions: a. The vehicle will be an OEM product and manufactured as a family-type or multipurpose passenger vehicle (MPV). Vehicles used exclusively for d…

equipment manufacture. 44.6(1) Body and chassis repair following an accident. a. A school bus that has been involved in an accident in which there is damage to the body or chassis components may be repaired to the extent that such repair is possible and that the damaged component…

Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006, codified at 20 U.S.C. §2301 et seq., as amended, and the benefit of all funds appropriated under said Act and all other Acts pertaining to career and technical education, are accepted. All references to this Act in t…

technical education planning partnerships are established to assist school districts in providing an effective, efficient, and economical means of delivering high-quality secondary career and technical education programs. 46.10(1) Establishment. Partnerships will be established t…

46.11(1) Establishment and responsibilities. A career academy may be established under an agreement between a single school district and a community college, or by multiple school districts and a community college organized into a regional career and technical education planning …

The standards include those which provide for increased and equitable access to high-quality career and technical education programs and require that regional centers incorporate appropriate educational programs, meet appropriate state and federal regulations for safety and acces…

grant program established by the department to expand opportunities for students to access high-quality career and technical education programming through innovative partnerships between school districts and community colleges. 46.13(1) Allowable expenses. Funding issued under th…

Additionally, “shared program” means a program or portion of a program offered through an agreement pursuant to Iowa Code section 256.13. [ARC 7795C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]

the board for career and technical education. In that capacity, the board will approve the multiyear state plan developed by the director in accordance with applicable federal laws and regulations governing career and technical education. [ARC 7795C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/2…

rule are to hold and maintain appropriate licensure pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 256, subchapter VII, part 3. 46.4(1) Grades 7-8. Pursuant to 281—Chapter 12, districts will offer career exploration and development in grades 7 and 8. Career exploration and development is designed…

46.6(1) Secondary program approval. All career and technical education programs offered by a district are to be approved by the department. As a condition for approval, a district will comply with the following paragraphs: a. Data collection and analysis. A district, for each pro…

46.7(1) The following are conditions under which a district has failed to meet accreditation standards: a. A district fails to submit a program for approval under rule 281—46.6(256). b. A program fails to comply with the corrective action process outlined in paragraph 46.6(1)“d” …

46.8(1) General. The board of directors of a school district or community college that maintains a career and technical education program receiving federal or state funds under this chapter will appoint an advisory council, which is governed by Iowa Code section 256.132. An advis…

46.9(1) An approved regional career and technical education planning partnership is eligible to receive state funds for school districts and community colleges participating in the regional career and technical education planning partnership for purposes allowed under subrule 46.…

“Approved system” means a vendor-provided career information and decision-making system that meets the standards of rule 281—49.5(279). “Board” means the board of directors of a public school district. “Career cluster” means a nationally recognized framework for organizing and cl…

minimum, comply with the provisions of Iowa Code section 279.61. [ARC 7659C, IAB 3/6/24, effective 4/10/24]

following essential components of the individualized career and academic plan: 49.3(1) Self-understanding. Students are to engage in developmentally appropriate inventories and assessments that promote self-understanding and the connection to work and engage in meaningful reflect…

49.4(1) Components of district plan. The school district shall develop a written career plan. The district plan is to include the following components: a. The district is to, at a minimum, describe the following aspects of the district plan: (1) The activities to be undertaken in…