Safe Routes to School Policy Workbook

For School Districts

Welcome Welcome to the Safe Routes to School Policy Workbook! The workbook is designed to help school board members, administrators, families of students, and community members create and implement policies that support active transportation and Safe Routes to School programs.

IntroductionSafe Routes to School is a burgeoning movement that encourages students to walk, ride bicycles, or use other forms of active transportation1 to and from school. Active transportation improves health, increases livability, and helps to protect the environment. Making it easy for students to walk or bicycle to school requires action from many community stakeholders, including schools, students and their families, municipalities, neighborhood businesses, planners, transportation engineers, and community groups. This Safe Routes to School Policy Workbook helps schools make lasting change in their communities.

The Role of School Districts in Student HealthSchools are charged with the crucial task of ensuring that all students have the opportunity to learn in a safe environment that nurtures their intellectual, social, and physical growth. School district administrators constantly face challenging decisions about how to allocate an ever-shrinking pool of resources.

Some view schools solely as settings for education. But schools are also in a prime position to influence the health and behavior of children and adolescents. No other institution has as much continuous and intensive contact with young people. Moreover, research increasingly demonstrates the relationship between health and academic achievement,2 and schools are on the front lines of the battle against the childhood obesity epidemic.

Obesity and Physical Activity

1 Throughout this document, the term “active transportation” is used to mean any method of travel that is human-powered, including without limitation walking, bicycling, in-line skating, skateboarding, scootering, or using a wheelchair.

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It is projected that if the current rates of childhood overweight and obesity continue, today’s children will be the first generation of Americans with a shorter life expectancy than their parents.3

The two primary causes of obesity are excessive or unhealthy eating and lack of physical activity. If the ratio of calories in to calories out changes, so will a person’s weight. An excellent source of physical activity, or calories out, is an active trip to school. All modes of active transportation, including bicycling, walking, skateboarding, scootering, and “wheelchairing,” are good ways to meet the US Surgeon General’s minimum recommendations for daily physical activity.

Schools can significantly improve student health by raising awareness about active transportation and implementing policies, programs, and practices that encourage active transportation in their communities.4

Safe Routes to SchoolSafe Routes to School programs began in Europe in the 1970s. In the U.S., efforts to promote walking to school emerged in the late 1990s. Initial and ongoing successes led to strong national enthusiasm, inspiring Congress to establish a federal Safe Routes to School program in 2005.

In 1969, almost half of American students walked or bicycled to school. But that number has shrunk to a mere 13%.5 Physical activity and recreational opportunities in schools have decreased during the same time period, creating new challenges for students’ academic achievement, cognitive skills, behavior, and attitudes.6 The overall decrease in daily physical activity corresponds with a dramatic increase in childhood obesity that has resulted in a nationwide health epidemic.7

The growing Safe Routes to School movement has become popular with numerous stakeholders, bringing together policymakers, government officials, school administrators, teachers, non-profits, businesses, parents, and students. All stakeholders can play important roles in initiating, running, and sustaining Safe Routes to School programs, as well as developing policies to maximize desired outcomes.

Benefits of Safe Routes to SchoolThe benefits of Safe Routes to School include increased physical activity, improved traffic safety, better air quality, enhanced personal safety, long-term cost savings, and greater student academic achievement.

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Health: By walking or bicycling to school, students get more physical activity, reduce their risk of obesity and diabetes, and improve their overall health.8,9 Healthier children miss fewer days of school.10

Learning: When students exercise before school, they arrive focused and ready to learn.11 By adopting Safe Routes to School programs, schools can improve students’ health and readiness to learn without taking time away from existing school-day activities or placing additional burdens on teachers.12

Safety: With more people out walking and bicycling, neighborhood streets become safer and more welcoming for anyone who is not driving.13 Safe Routes to School infrastructure improvements allow everyone – including children, older adults, and people with disabilities – to walk and bicycle more safely.14

Environment: Because fewer car trips means lower greenhouse gas emissions, walking and bicycling to school reduces air pollution and helps the environment.15,16

Community: Ten to fourteen percent of morning rush-hour traffic is attributable to families driving their children to school.17 Getting children to walk or ride a bike reduces traffic congestion. In addition, by walking or bicycling, children encounter each other (and their other neighbors) on the way to school, increasing the feeling of community and social support.

Elements of a Strong Safe Routes to School Policy: The Six E’s

To effectively build infrastructure, improve safety, and change travel behaviors, a strong school district policy should support the key components of a Safe Routes to School program, commonly referred to as the Six E’s:

Education – School district policies can help educate children about the broad range of transportation choices and instruct them in bicycling and walking safety skills. Also, driver safety campaigns can educate drivers – both students and adults – regarding safe driving near schools and elsewhere.

Encouragement – Policies can institutionalize events and activities that promote walking and bicycling and generate enthusiasm among students, parents, staff, and the surrounding community.

Engineering – Policies can outline how school districts can act independently or partner with local jurisdictions to improve infrastructure around schools to increase the safety and convenience of active transportation.

Enforcement – Policies can specify ways in which school districts should partner with local law enforcement to ensure that traffic laws (including speed limits, yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, and proper walking and bicycling behaviors) are obeyed near schools. School districts can also facilitate community enforcement, such as crossing guard programs and student safety patrols.

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Evaluation – Policies can encourage monitoring and documenting outcomes, attitudes, and trends via data collection before and after programmatic changes are made.

Equity – Policies can ensure that Safe Routes to School initiatives are benefiting all demographic groups, with particular attention to ensuring safe, healthy, and fair outcomes for low-income students, students of color, students of all genders, students with disabilities, and others.

Health Equity and Safe Routes to School

Not everyone has access to environments that support good health. Overweight and obesity rates are significantly higher in some communities than in others; these difference are based on race and ethnicity, gender, age, and socioeconomic status. Generally, the same communities that are at greater risk for overweight and obesity have far fewer parks and open spaces available for physical activity and recreation.18

A national study of 20,000 young people in the United States found that resources for physical activity – including parks as well as public and private recreation facilities – were distributed inequitably, with non-white and lower-income neighborhoods much more likely than higher-income white neighborhoods to have few or no such facilities.19 Other studies have found that communities with higher poverty rates and higher percentages of African-American and Latino residents tend to have significantly fewer parks and green spaces.20

At the same time, the streets in lower-income communities are more dangerous for people who walk or ride bicycles, due to an absence of protective infrastructure and street design.21 Injuries to people walking and bicycling are much more frequent in lower-income neighborhoods than in upper-income neighborhoods.22 Safe Routes to School can be a powerful tool in helping to increase physical activity for children while ensuring that children are able to walk and bicycle safely.

A Note to Stakeholders about School Boards/Districts and Policy Change

School boards are an important link between communities and public schools. There are almost 15,000 school boards across the United States, each working to address the specific educational needs of its students. Every district varies from the next in size, socioeconomic status, and urbanization, and each school board member’s background and perspectives will influence decisions made by the board.

When educating school boards about Safe Routes to School, it is important to understand their priorities, power, and political makeup. Across the spectrum, school boards are focused on improving student achievement. As a result, any and all efforts to increase active transportation through Safe Routes to School should highlight the proven ties between physical activity and academic performance23 and behavior.24 Research shows that walking and bicycling

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to school have benefits for students both inside and outside of the classroom. Bring this information to your school board.

Learn more about your school board members by reading their profiles, understanding where they come from, and noting their individual priorities. Consider inviting them to Safe Routes to School events or signing up to speak to the board about best practices around the country. Attend school board meetings to understand what larger issues are facing the school board and reflect on how Safe Routes to School might help address those concerns. Talk with your school board to understand the actual distribution of authority between the district and schools – this varies by state and by district.

Finally, listen and try to understand board perspectives, and respond respectfully. Safe Routes to School programs and strategies are beneficial to schools in many ways, but school board members have many priorities and often have a longer-term, broader perspective on the future of the school system. Part of your role as a champion for Safe Routes to School must be to demonstrate the added benefit for schools of investment in Safe Routes to School policies.

Users of this document should be aware that every funding source has different requirements governing the appropriate use of their funds. Under U.S. law, no federal funds are permitted to be used for lobbying or to influence, directly or indirectly, specific pieces of pending or proposed legislation at the federal, state, or local levels. Organizations should consult appropriate legal counsel to ensure compliance with all rules, regulations, and restrictions of any funding sources.

Stakeholders’ Resources:

A Primer to Understanding the Role of School Boards and Principals (Safe Routes Partnership)

Getting Students Active through Safe Routes to School: Policies and Action Steps for Education Policymakers and Professionals (Safe Routes Partnership)

Safe Routes to School Local Policy Guide (Safe Routes Partnership)

Implementing Safe Routes to School in Low-Income Schools and Communities (Safe Routes Partnership)

Safe Routes to School Guide (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

City of Portland Safe Routes to School Policy (City of Portland)

The History of Safe Routes to School (Safe Routes Partnership)

ENACT Local Policy Database (Strategic Alliance for Healthy Food and Activity Environments)

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How to Use the Safe Routes to School District Policy Workbook

The Safe Routes to School District Policy Workbook was designed to help school boards, administrators, and stakeholders create policies that support active transportation to and from school.25 In using this Workbook, you’ll have the opportunity to select among policy provisions that support active transportation. Within some provisions, different options are available that can make your overall policy even stronger.

For each provision, the Workbook provides explanatory text, the provision’s language, and supporting resources to help you understand details and intricacies.

You may find that the final policy language needs to be altered to accurately represent your district and the various stakeholders involved.

The final product is designed to be an official school board policy, but some districts may prefer to adopt this material as a resolution or as administrative regulations.

25 Note that the Safe Routes to School movement to date has predominantly focused on active transportation to school of children in kindergarten through eighth grade. As a result, there may be additional provisions that districts want to add in to address the active transportation needs and issues of high school students.

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Getting Started

Before you begin reviewing policy provisions, take a moment to check if the terminology in the policy matches the terminology you use locally. You can do a find/replace to select the terms your district uses:

Children/students

Parents/guardians v. family v. parents

PTO/PTA/PTSA/parent association

Student transportation department/transportation department/district transportation department

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Support for Active Transportation

Explanation: Although stating that the district supports active transportation may seem basic or obvious, it is very important to include language that makes the district’s support part of official policy. This will ensure that all schools promote and plan for active transportation and traffic safety, while letting parents, teachers, and community members know that the school district not only permits but also values active transportation. Districts that do not explicitly support active transportation through clear policy language, adequate facilities, and engaging programs can inadvertently discourage walking, bicycling, and other forms of active transportation. Note that we also include public transit in the policy, because studies have shown that people who use public transit get significant physical activity on the way to or from the transit stop.26

Policy Provision:

Support for Active Transportation: The [insert name of school board or district] School District (“District”) supports active transportation, including walking and bicycling, to and from school. Walking, bicycling, public transit use, and other forms of active transportation not only save costs related to busing students, but they also allow students to engage in physical activity, which reduces the risk of obesity and related chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.27 Physical activity also improves mental health, attendance, and academic performance.28 Further, replacing automobile trips with active commutes reduces one’s carbon footprint and decreases traffic congestion and air pollution, which is of particular benefit to students with asthma.29 Fewer automobile trips also reduce the risk of injury to students from collisions with automobiles.30

Key Terms:

Active Transportation – Any method of travel that is human-powered, including walking, bicycling, in-line skating, skateboarding, scootering, or using a wheelchair.

26 Besser LM and Dannenberg AL. “Walking to Public Transit: Steps to Help Meet Physical Activity Recommendations.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 29(4): 273–280, 2005. http://198.246.98.21/healthyplaces/publications/besser_dannenberg.pdf

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Resources:School Bicycling and Walking Policies: Addressing Policies that Hinder and Implementing Policies that Help. (Safe Routes Partnership)

Why Should a School District Adopt Policies on Walking and Bicycling? (Alan M. Boorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers)

Active Transport to School: Trends among U.S. Schoolchildren 1969-2001 (American Journal of Preventative Medicine)

“Research Brief: Active Transportation, Making the Link from Transportation to Physical Activity and Obesity” (Active Living Research)

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Support for Safe Routes to School

Explanation: Safe Routes to School programs and activities encourage physical activity, bolster student safety, reduce traffic congestion at the beginning and end of the school day, and even have been shown to improve students’ concentration.31 School districts that do not explicitly support Safe Routes to School through clear policy language can inadvertently discourage walking, bicycling, and other forms of active transportation. Providing supportive language within school district policy ensures that all schools will promote and plan for Safe Routes to School programs and activities.

Policy Provision: District supports Safe Routes to School programs and activities because they have been shown to:

(i) Increase physical activity levels for students,32

(ii) Improve student health,33

(iii) Decrease automobile congestion and related danger of injury to students,34

(iv) Reduce air pollution and related greenhouse gas emissions,35

(v) Reduce costs related to busing,36 and

31 Goodyear S. “The Link between Kids Who Walk or Bike to School and Concentration.” The Atlantic Cities, February 5, 2013. www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/02/kids-who-walk-or-bike-school-concentrate-better-study-shows/4585/

32 Staunton CE, Hubsmith D and Kallins W. “Promoting Safe Walking and Biking to School: the Marin County Success Story.” American Journal of Public Health, 93(9): 1431–1434, 2003. www.saferoutestoschools.org/Pressroom/American%20journal%20of%20public%20health.pdf

33 See Drake et al., supra note 27.

34 National Progress on Increasing Safe Bicycling and Walking to and from School. Safe Routes to School: 2007 State of the States Report. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2007. www.saferoutespartnership.org/sites/default/files/pdf/rpt_SRTSstates2007.pdf; Orenstein MR, Gutierrez N, Rice TM, et al. Safe Routes to School Safety and Mobility Analysis. UC Berkeley Traffic Safety Center, for California DOT, 2007. http://escholarship.org/uc/item/5455454c

35 Maizlish, N, Woodcock J, Co S, et al. Health Co-Benefits and Transportation-Related Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Bay Area: Technical Report. Richmond, CA: Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, California Department of Public Health, 2011. www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/CCDPHP/Documents/ITHIM_Technical_Report11-21-11.pdf

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(vi) Improve attendance rates and student achievement.37

District further supports efforts to increase participation in Safe Routes to School programs and activities in those schools with the fewest resources, and among low-income students, students with health challenges, and those with physical and mental disabilities.

Key Terms:

Safe Routes to School – A national and international movement to implement policies and programs that improve conditions for walking and bicycling to school.

Resources:

Safe Routes to School Guide (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

The History of Safe Routes to School (Safe Routes Partnership)

School Bicycling and Walking Policies: Addressing Policies that Hinder and Implementing Policies that Help. (Safe Routes Partnership/National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Why Should a School District Adopt Policies on Walking and Bicycling? (Alan M. Boorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers)

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Roles of District, Schools, Families, and Students

Explanation: Clarifying the roles of the various players involved in safe active transportation is an essential piece of any policy. One of the best ways to avoid disputes is by making sure that schools, families, and students have the same understanding about who is responsible for student safety and behavior at any given time. It is important to specify the roles of each participant and to clarify the responsibilities, expectations, and potential liability of all parties.

Policy Provision:

The roles of District, families, and students regarding travel to and from school are as follows:

a. District/Schools. The role of District and individual schools is to encourage safe travel to and from school, and particularly to encourage active transportation. Notwithstanding certain exceptions, District and individual schools assume no liability for injuries or other damages, including property damage, that may occur while a student is in transit to and from school.38

b. Parents and Guardians. The role of parents and guardians is to make informed decisions about which mode of transportation best suits their student in light of (i) the student’s personality, age, maturity, physical and cognitive development, and decision-making abilities, and (ii) the street, traffic, crime, and other relevant conditions likely to be encountered by the student when traveling to and from school. Parents and guardians are legally responsible and otherwise accountable for their student’s safety and well-being when the student is traveling to and from school.

c. Students. The role of students is to be safe and responsible while traveling to and from school, following state and local law and the rules established by their families, and obeying school rules while traveling on school campus. Students should act as good role models for their peers by observing traffic and safety rules, caring for property, and being courteous to others.

Legal Note: Liability, of course, is a major concern for school districts and individual schools alike. This policy sets forth the district’s intent that it not take on new responsibility or liability for school travel. Under certain circumstances, however, a district will have such responsibility and potential liability. If, for example, a student is traveling on a school bus, then naturally a school district might face liability if the student were injured as a result of negligence or the like. Please be sure to review the resources referenced below to get a better understanding of how liability works in the school context.

38 See Cal. Educ. § 44808, which immunizes schools and their employees except when the school provides transportation to and from school, the student is involved in school-sponsored activity, or the school “has otherwise specifically assumed such responsibility.”

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Key Terms: (none)

Resources:Safe Routes to School: Minimizing Your Liability Risk (ChangeLab Solutions)

Volunteers and Liability: The Federal Volunteer Protection Act (ChangeLab Solutions)

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Minimizing Driving

Explanation: Automobile collisions are one of the biggest causes of death and injury to school-age children. Heavy traffic at school during arrival and dismissal times often creates congestion and dangerous traffic situations. At some schools, because of the drastic decrease in students walking or bicycling to school over the past fifty years, the streets, drop-off/pick-up areas, and other accommodations for cars that were initially designed for a lower flow of traffic are no longer safe or efficient. To reduce congestion and improve safety and air quality, schools can work to decrease the number of vehicles arriving and departing campus by promoting active transportation, public transit, and carpooling.

Policy Provision:

Because automobile collisions are a leading cause of death among school-age children, District supports efforts to increase traffic safety by minimizing driving to and from school.39 District respects the many constraints on families’ time and budgets and recognizes that driving is sometimes a necessary or practical alternative to active transportation. Yet, in light of automobile collision data and the numerous benefits of active transportation, District commits to working with all stakeholders, including school administrators, students, families, public safety personnel, and relevant government agencies, to minimize driving to and from school. Decreasing the number of automobile trips, whether by engaging in active transportation, taking public transportation, or carpooling, will reduce automobile congestion and related collisions and create a safer environment for active transportation.

Key Terms: (none)

Resources:

Safe Routes to School: Helping Communities Save Lives and Dollars (Safe Routes Partnership)

Who Owns the Roads? How Motorized Traffic Discourages Walking and Bicycling (Injury Prevention)

Research Brief: Active Transportation, Making the Link from Transportation to Physical Activity and Obesity (Active Living Research)

Safe Routes to School Safety and Mobility Analysis (CALTRANS)

39 Subramanian R. Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes as a Leading Cause of Death in the United States, 2008 and 2009. US Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2012. www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811620.pdf

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Following the Law

Explanation: Encouraging students, parents, and staff to follow pertinent laws while walking and bicycling is good practice. All modes of travel have risk. Studies show that the health benefits of active transportation far outweigh the risks.40 Nonetheless, children will be safer if they have mastered traffic safety rules, whether they’re on a school field trip, with a family member, or on their own. Their understanding of traffic rules and corresponding behavior is critical for their safety in navigating public spaces such as street crossings and sidewalks, especially on the way to and from school. To ensure predictability and safety, all road users, including bicyclists and pedestrians, should follow local, regional, and state laws.

Policy Provision:

District strongly encourages school personnel, students, and families to follow all state and local traffic laws and related safety guidelines while traveling to and from school.

Legal Note: A note of caution. School districts that “require” everyone to follow all traffic and safety laws may unintentionally subject themselves to potential liability. If a district requires everyone to follow certain rules, and the district fails to take some action to ensure that

40 de Hartog JJ, Boogaard H, Nijland H, et al. “Do the Health Benefits of Cycling Outweigh the Risks?” Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(8): 1109–1116, 2010. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2920084/; Rojas-Rueda D, de Nazelle A, Tainio M, et al. “The Health Risks and Benefits of Cycling in Urban Environments Compared with Car Use: Health Impact Assessment Study.” British Medical Journal, 343: d4521, 2011. www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d4521#alternate; Hillman, M. “Cycling and the Promotion of Health.” PTRC 20th Summer Annual Meeting, Proceedings of Seminar B, 1992. Located via: Cavill N and Davis, A. “Cycling & Health: What’s the Evidence.” Cycling England, 2007. www.cycle-helmets.com/cycling_and_health.pdf; Pucher J, Dijkstra L. “Promoting Safe walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health: Lessons from The Netherlands and Germany.” Am J Public Health.93(9):1509-16, 2003; Frank LD, Engelke P. “Multiple Impacts of the Built Environment on Public Health: Walkable Places and the Exposure to Air Pollution.” Int Regional Sci Rev., 28(2):193-216, 2005.

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everyone is following such rules, or fails to respond when someone does not follow a rule, the district could be held liable in case of an injury. Accordingly, the district should encourage everyone to follow traffic safety laws, but should not require them to do so.

Key Terms: (None)

Resources:State Bike Laws (League of American Bicyclists)

Putting Traffic Safety First (Safe Routes Partnership)

Bicycling Rules of the Road (League of American Bicyclists – National Group)

Tips for Walking Safely to School (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Tips for Parents and Other Adults for Teaching Pedestrian Safety to Children (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Bicycles (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Pedestrians (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Teaching Children to Walk Safely as They Grow and Develop: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

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District Task ForceExplanation: One of the benefits of Safe Routes to School is the opportunity to encourage collaboration among stakeholders and branches of government that do not traditionally interact. The Safe Routes to School District Task Force (“Task Force”) can build partnerships and ensure the cooperation and participation of all stakeholders. A Task Force typically meets quarterly and includes the school district, city and county agencies, and community groups working together to allocate resources and funding, contribute to programs and curriculum development, nurture partnerships, and serve as an advisory committee for challenges encountered in implementing Safe Routes to School. The Task Force’s roles and responsibilities should not be confused with school-specific teams, which are called School Teams .

Policy Provision:

District shall establish a Safe Routes to School District Task Force (“Task Force”) to develop and implement strategies grounded in the “Six E’s” (education, encouragement, engineering, enforcement, evaluation, and equity) that address Safe Routes to School planning, funding, and policies. Specifically, the Task Force shall undertake the following:

a. Evaluate the current policies and resources that support or inhibit safe and convenient active transportation to or from school;

b. Ensure that Safe Routes to School resources are distributed equitably across District schools and that any prioritization takes into account, among other things, personal and traffic safety concerns, crash data, infrastructure deficiencies, equity issues such as free/reduced lunch status, and existing and potential patterns of students walking and bicycling to school;

c. Promote Safe Routes to School throughout District;d. Identify and pursue available funding (federal/state grants and other sources) to

support Safe Routes to School; ande. Evaluate the efficacy of District’s Safe Routes to School policies, programs, and

activities.

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Options: (select one (or more) option to supplement the proposed language)

[Good] The Task Force shall be composed of a wide array of diverse stakeholders, including representatives from as many of the following entities as appropriate: School Board; Superintendent’s Office; Student Transportation Department; District Risk Management Department; Department of Public Health; individual schools; students; families; local elected officials; [Local Jurisdiction’s] agencies responsible for traffic conditions and hazards, street infrastructure and design, and enforcement (such as the [Local Jurisdiction’s] transportation department, public safety department, etc.); the active transportation community; and other relevant community-based organizations.

[Better] [In addition to the above under “Good”] In the first year of its formation, the Task Force shall meet every two months. Thereafter, it shall meet quarterly.

[Best] [In addition to the above under “Better”] The Task Force shall coordinate with School Teams to solicit and evaluate feedback on the efficacy of Safe Routes to School policies, programs, and activities at individual schools.

Legal Note: As with any potential changes to job descriptions and related duties, be sure to check with your human resources department to ensure compliance with employment contractual obligations.

Key Terms: None

Resources:

Safe Routes to School Toolkit: Task Force (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Safe Routes to School: A Catalyst for Building Partnerships and Leveraging Resources (Safe Routes Partnership)

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School TeamsExplanation: Safe Routes to School can encourage collaboration not only at the district level, but also at the school level. Every school environment, including its surrounding neighborhoods, is unique. School Teams that support Safe Routes to School can address these unique circumstances. The School Team, unlike the District Task Force, typically meets monthly and involves the PTA, principal, school health team, local law enforcement, relevant city staff, and community members (e.g. neighborhood association, nonprofit groups, local businesses, churches, etc.) working together to create a vision, allocate resources and funding, contribute to programs and curriculum development, nurture partnerships, and serve as the Safe Routes to School advisory committee for the school. Strong leadership is key to the success of a School Team. School Teams can also be a subcommittee of an existing group such as the PTA, safety council, school health team, or wellness team.

Policy Provision:

District shall encourage individual schools to establish a School Team focused on Safe Routes to School to implement school planning, funding, and implementation efforts for Safe Routes to School programs, taking into account the unique needs and circumstances of individual schools, their students, and surrounding neighborhoods and infrastructure. The School Team shall undertake the following:

a. Identify existing school policies that support or inhibit effective Safe Routes to School programs and infrastructure improvements; work with principal to build on supportive policies and improve negative policies;

b. Develop and implement strategies grounded in the “Six E’s” (education, encouragement, engineering, enforcement, evaluation, and equity) to establish and promote Safe Routes to School programs and activities in the school;

c. In prioritizing project and program needs at school, consider, among other things, personal and traffic safety concerns, crash data, infrastructure

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deficiencies, equity issues such as free/reduced lunch status, and existing and potential patterns of students walking and bicycling to school;

d. Identify infrastructure challenges on school campus and in surrounding neighborhoods and develop a plan to address them;

e. Identify potential sources of funding, such as federal and state grants, to support the school-based Safe Routes to School program;

f. Evaluate the efficacy of Safe Routes to School policies, programs, and activities.

Options: (select one option to supplement the proposed language)

[Good] The School Team shall be composed of a wide array of diverse stakeholders, including representatives from as many of the following entities as appropriate: school administration; the PTA; teachers; families; the student body; neighbors; and [Local Jurisdiction’s] agencies responsible for traffic conditions and hazards, street infrastructure and design, and enforcement (such as the [Local Jurisdiction’s] transportation department, public safety department, etc.).

[Better] [In addition to the above under “Good”] In the first year of its formation, the School Team shall meet at least monthly. Thereafter, it shall meet as often as needed to accomplish the aforementioned tasks.

Key Terms:

Free and Reduced Lunch Status – Refers to a federal program that provides free or reduced-price lunches to students whose parents’ income falls between 130% and 185% of the poverty level.41

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Resources:

Safe Routes to School Toolkit: School Teams (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Webinar: The Community Connection: School Travel Plans and Building Community Support (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Safe Routes to School Guide: Steps to Creating a Safe Routes to School Program (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Safe Routes to School: A Catalyst for Building Partnerships and Leveraging Resources (Safe Routes Partnership)

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Traffic Safety Education

Explanation: There are skills involved in walking that students will use their entire lives. If properly encouraged, the same will be true for bicycling. Ensuring that students have the skills and knowledge to safely engage in these common and potentially lifelong activities is crucial. Studies show that students who receive age-appropriate traffic safety education have improved attitudes and knowledge and make safer decisions when crossing streets,42 and the countries with the lowest numbers of traffic crashes provide traffic safety education during every year of elementary school.43 There are many types of walking and biking curricula, including short safety skills clinics, bicycle rodeos that teach skills and safety, comprehensive in-class safety training, and “train-the-trainer” models. Curricula are designed to meet different developmental levels of students. The best curricula can also meet state educational standards.

Policy Provision:District supports the provision of traffic safety education and active transportation skills trainings for all students and teachers.

Options (select one option to replace the proposed language)

[Good]: District encourages individual schools to provide traffic safety education and active transportation skills trainings for all students and teachers. District recommends that

42 Turner C, McClure R, Nixon J, et al. “Community-Based Programmes to Prevent Pedestrian Injuries in Children 0–14 Years: A Systematic Review.” Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 11 (4): 231– 237, 2004; Childhood Injury Prevention Interventions: Skills Training Programs. Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, University of Washington. http://depts.washington.edu/hiprc/practices/topic/pedestrians/skills.html; Duperrex OJM, Bunn F and Roberts R. “Safety Education of Pedestrians for Injury Prevention: A Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials.” British Medical Journal, 324(7346): 1129, 2002. www.bmj.com/content/324/7346/1129.pdf%2Bhtml

43 SWOV Fact Sheet: Road Safety of Children in the Netherlands. Leidschendam, the Netherlands: SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research, 2009. www.swov.nl/rapport/Factsheets/UK/FS_Children.pdf; Dragutinovic N and Twisk D. The Effectiveness of Road Safety Education: A Literature Review. Leidschendam, the Netherlands: SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research, 2006. www.swov.nl/rapport/R-2006-06.pdf

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pedestrian skills and safety workshops occur in [kindergarten/1st grade] and bicycle skills and safety workshops occur in [4th/5th] grade.[Better]: District requires individual schools to provide traffic safety education and active transportation skills trainings for all students and teachers. District further requires that pedestrian skills and safety workshops occur in [kindergarten/1st grade] and bicycle skills and safety workshops occur in [4th/5th] grade. In addition, District shall host a traffic safety education and skills-training workshop at the beginning of each school year. This workshop shall include training and education for teachers and school personnel so they can actively support District’s efforts to deliver traffic safety education and active transportation skills training to students.[Best]: District requires individual schools to provide a comprehensive mobility education curriculum with a focus on traffic safety education and active transportation skills for students and teachers. The curriculum shall include: pedestrian skills and safety workshops in [kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd] grade; bicycle skills and safety workshops in [4th, 5th and 6th] grade; classes on how to use public transit in [6th] grade; and classes on safe driving skills, with an emphasis on avoiding injury to pedestrians and bicyclists, in [10th] grade. In addition, District shall host a traffic safety education and active transportation skills workshop at the beginning of each school year. This workshop shall include training and education for teachers and school personnel so they can actively support District’s efforts to deliver traffic safety education and active transportation skills training to students.

Key Terms: Traffic safety education – Education and skills training about laws and rules of bicycling, walking, and driving that provides students with an understanding of traffic safety concepts.

Comprehensive mobility education – Curriculum focused on providing a detailed overview of safe transportation, including the skills, responsibilities, benefits and disadvantages, and safety practices that pertain to each major mode of travel, from walking and bicycling, to public transportation, to driving, with an emphasis on ensuring the safety of those using active transportation.

Bicycle rodeos – Also known as bicycle skills courses, bicycle rodeos are usually small courses that allow students to practice critical bicycling skills (slow riding, dodging obstacles, using their signals) in a fun environment conducive to quick skill development.

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Train the trainer model – A cost-effective model of education that involves training teachers on how to administer a curriculum (instead of having the curriculum taught by outside nonprofits or community members), so that the attributes of the curriculum are more firmly embedded in the school system.

Resources:Bicycle and Pedestrian Curricula Guide: Making the Case for Bicycle and Pedestrian Youth Education

Traffic Safety Training: Walking and Bicycling Programs

Teaching Children to Walk Safely as They Grow and Develop: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

“The Roles of Gender, Age and Cognitive Development in Children's Pedestrian Route Selection” (2012)

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Walking School Buses and Bicycle Trains

Explanation: By encouraging groups of students to walk or bicycle to school together, Walking School Buses and Bicycle Trains effectively address a variety of parental concerns about safety. These programs can be part of an organized school-wide effort, with trained safety leaders and multiple groups walking or bicycling from different neighborhoods to the school. Or informal groups of children can meet up to walk, skateboard, scooter, or ride together. Younger students can be accompanied by an adult volunteer or older student. Walking School Buses and Bike Trains are effective tools for reducing traffic safety risk and improving personal safety.44 They reduce the risk of bullying and other personal harm by bringing more eyes and ears to the street, a known crime reduction technique. They also build social cohesion and can even reduce tardiness.

Policy Provision:

District supports the creation of Walking School Bus and Bicycle Train programs at each school.

Options: (select one option to replace the proposed language)

[Better]: District encourages individual schools to promote and organize Walking School Bus and Bicycle Train programs. If requested by an individual school, District shall work with such school to organize a Walking School Bus and Bicycle Train program.

44 Jo Salmon, Louisa Salmon, David A. Crawford, Clare Hume, and Anna Timperio (2007) Associations Among Individual, Social, and Environmental Barriers and Children's Walking or Cycling to School. American Journal of Health Promotion: November/December 2007, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 107-113.

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[Best]: District requires that individual schools establish and promote regular Walking School Bus or Bicycle Train programs. Such programs shall occur on a regular basis, at least [one per week].

Legal Note on Liability and Walking School Buses: School districts are often concerned about their potential exposure to liability if a child were to be injured while participating in a Walking School Bus or Bicycle Train program. Although liability rules vary from state to state, districts are generally entirely immune from liability for decisions to simply sponsor or endorse a program such as a Walking School Bus or Bicycle Train program.45 Sponsoring a program can involve allowing it to take place, informing families about it, or providing funding or other support.

In some states, districts are also protected from liability for running or implementing programs like a Walking School Bus or Bicycle Train program.46 In other states they are not.47 This means that running a program may involve more risk of liability. However, districts can still implement Walking School Buses and Bicycle Trains, and they can limit their liability risk by taking commonsense steps. For example, they should develop safety rules for the programs, anticipate possible hazards to participants, and, where possible, implement reasonable precautions to avoid such hazards.

Legal Note on Criminal Background Checks: As school districts increasingly require volunteers to undergo criminal background checks, adults supervising Walking School Bus and Bicycle Train programs may be subject to these same rules.

45 For example, in states such as Louisiana and Oklahoma, school districts are likely to be immune for endorsing SRTS programs, but are not likely to be immune for setting up or running such programs. See Johnson v. Orleans Parish Sch. Bd., 975 So.2d 698, 711 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2008)(distinguishing between discretionary and operational actions); Gary v. Meche, 626 So.2d 901, 905 (La.App. 3 Cir. 1993); Nguyen v. State, 788 P.2d 962, 964 (Okla. 1990). For more information about the extent of governmental immunity for school districts in your state, consult with the attorney for your school district.

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State laws regarding criminal background checks of school volunteers vary greatly in breadth and scope. Background checks are required in some states48 and are optional in others;49 in those states with no explicit law, the decision will fall to individual districts.50 The requirement may extend only to volunteers who have certain specified levels of contact with students,51 or may contain an exclusion for parents, guardians, or even grandparents of district students.52 Some states require fingerprinting as part of the criminal background check of school volunteers53 and some states require presentation of government-issued identification.54

School district volunteer policies will spell out the exact mechanisms of any criminal background check requirement (presumably in compliance in state law where applicable). Individual districts may have discretion as to whether to treat adult participants as school volunteers and subject them to any district policy requiring criminal background checks.

Key Terms:Walking School Bus - An organized and often supervised group of children who walk together to school. They can be informal groups of children who meet up to walk together or can be more formal groups with trained safety leaders.

Bicycle Trains or Bike Brigades – Group bicycle rides to and from school.55 Some schools or other entities provide incentives for such events, like discounts on bicycle equipment and repair, awards, or bicycle safety training. Some programs require participants to pass a safety training class before joining.

Resources:

Start a Walking School Bus: The Basics (walkingschoolbus.org)

The Walking School Bus: A Primer and First Steps (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Organizing Successful Bike Trains (Safe Routes Partnership)

Safe Routes to School: Minimizing Your Liability Risk (ChangeLab Solutions)

Volunteers and Liability: The Federal Volunteer Protection Act (ChangeLab Solutions)

“Impact of a Pilot Walking School Bus Intervention on Children's Pedestrian Safety Behaviors: A Pilot Study” (2012)

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Walk to School Day and Other Promotional Activities

Explanation: Encouragement activities celebrate the many benefits of engaging in active transportation to and from school and give students the opportunity to try out fun and healthy behavior in the context of school-sponsored events and activities. This policy encourages schools to use promotional events to build support for Safe Routes to School programs and activities.

Policy Provision:

District supports events that encourage students to engage in active transportation to and from school, and that promote active, healthy lifestyles for the community at large. Events may include Walk to School Days, Bike to School Days, and School Walk-a-Thons.

Options: (select one option to supplement the proposed language)

[Good]: District shall promote an annual Walk to School Day and/or Bike to School Day event for those schools wishing to participate. District shall support additional efforts by individual schools to conduct events that promote active transportation to and from school.

[Better]: District shall promote at least two active transportation events per school year at all District schools. District shall support individual schools in establishing ongoing events that promote active transportation to and from school.

[Best]: District shall promote at least two active transportation events per school year at all District schools. District shall further require that individual schools establish year-

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round activities that promote active transportation to and from school. District shall partner with individual schools to promote the events and activities and, if needed, shall provide training on Safe Routes to School encouragement activities.

Key Terms:

Encouragement – One of the Six E’s of Safe Routes to School, involving events and activities that encourage students and parents to try out walking and bicycling through participation in a school-run activity.

Resources:Safe Routes to School Guide: Encouragement (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Volunteers and Liability: The Federal Volunteer Protection Act (ChangeLab Solutions)

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Enforcement

Explanation: Without appropriate enforcement, even the best laws, policies, and school rules may be ignored. This provision encourages schools to commit to enforcement of Safe Routes to School policies and existing traffic safety laws through collaboration with District personnel and local law enforcement.

Policy Provision:

On an annual basis, District shall assess (i) whether this Policy is being fully implemented, (ii) how to improve implementation; and (iii) what amendments are needed to improve the Policy’s success. District shall prepare a report detailing its findings and proposals to enact any necessary amendments. The report shall be made available to the public.

Option: (select this option to supplement the proposed language)

[Better]: District shall further provide this Policy to [Local Jurisdiction’s] [Public Safety/Police] Department. District shall partner with [Public Safety/Police] Department personnel to ensure that they (i) understand the details of this Policy, (ii) provide rigorous traffic safety enforcement in the vicinity of schools, especially during arrival and dismissal times, and (iii) understand the rights and responsibilities of those engaging in active transportation.

Key Terms: (none)

Resources:“Aggressive Traffic Enforcement: A Simple and Effective Injury Prevention Program” (2006)

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Incorporation into Student and Parent Handbooks

Explanation: Schools and administration annually distribute student and parent handbooks that outline expected behaviors and provide information about important school policies. Including the Safe Routes to School policy in these handbooks sets expectations for walking and bicycling and lets families know about the district’s support for Safe Routes to School.

Policy Provision:

All schools shall incorporate this Safe Routes to School Policy into their Student and Parent Handbooks.

Key Terms: (none)

Resources:

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Incorporation into School Wellness Policy

Explanation: In 2004, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act mandated that any local agency participating in the Federal School Meal Programs create and implement a school wellness policy. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 added additional requirements for wellness policies to the baseline set by the 2004 law. School wellness policies outline nutrition and physical activity policies for each school and, when they incorporate Safe Routes to School, can be used as an additional tool to reinforce active transportation policies.

Policy Provision:

This Safe Routes to School Policy is hereby incorporated into District’s School Wellness Policy. District shall ensure that the School Wellness Policy reflects this addition.

Key Terms: WIC (Women, Infants and Children) – A public health program developed for women, infants, and children who are at risk for poor nutrition due to inadequate income.

Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act: This Act reauthorized funding through 2009 for federal school meal and child nutrition programs that provide access to healthy and nutritious foods for low-income children. These programs include: the National School Lunch Program; the School Breakfast Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; the Summer Food Service Program; the Afterschool Meal Program; and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The Act expanded access to these programs, improved nutritional quality of the food served, and directed school districts participating in the school meal programs to establish Local Wellness Policies. (Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-265, 118 Stat. 729 (2004).)

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010: This Act reauthorized funding for key child nutrition programs through 2015. The programs include: the National School Lunch Program; the School Breakfast Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; the Summer Food Service Program; the Afterschool Meal Program; the Child and Adult Care Food Program; and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed). The Act sets policy aimed at reducing childhood obesity, improving nutritional standards for meal programs, increasing access to nutrition programs, and increasing program monitoring. (Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-296, 124 Stat. 3183 (2010).)

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Resources:School Wellness Policies and Safe Routes to School (Safe Routes Partnership)

Model School Wellness Policies (The National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity)

Wellness Policy Tool (Action for Healthy Kids)

How to Create and Implement a Local Wellness Policy. (United States Department of Agriculture)

The School Health Index (SHI) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: Chapter D - Policies to Encourage Physical Activity (The National Association of State Boards of Education)

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Intermediate

Limiting Restrictions on Active Transportation

Explanation: While schools should, of course, prioritize the safety of their students, schools do not have the ultimate authority to determine how students will travel to and from school. In fact, school districts subject themselves to potential liability when they try to restrict how students travel to and from school. When decisions about which mode of transportation to use are taken away from students and their families, districts may themselves acquire increased responsibility for ensuring that children get to school safely, and thus may be more likely to be found liable if injuries occur during transit. In addition to increased risk of liability, districts may be overstepping the bounds of their authority over students when they try to control how students travel to and from school, because such restrictions may not be authorized by state law and may interfere with parents’ constitutional rights to make decisions about how to raise their children.

Policy Provision:

District acknowledges that the choice of which mode of transportation to use when traveling to and from school rests with students and/or their families, rather than with District or individual schools. Accordingly, District shall prohibit individual schools from restricting any mode of active transportation used to travel to and from school. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where unusual traffic or other dangers make active transportation exceptionally unsafe, individual schools can discourage, but not prohibit, students from engaging in active transportation to and from school.

Key Terms: None

Resources:School Bicycling and Walking Policies: Addressing Policies that Hinder and Implementing Policies that Help. (Safe Routes Partnership/National Center for Safe Routes to School)

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Backing off Bike Bans (ChangeLab Solutions)

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Assessing Recommended Routes to School

Explanation: In recent years it has become common practice for schools encouraging active transportation to designate recommended or suggested routes to school based on feedback from walk audits,56 parent surveys, and input from Safe Routes to School teams. These routes, when possible, take advantage of low-traffic streets, crossing guards, multi-use paths, and ample traffic signage to help students, families, and teachers minimize safety risks and improve their walking and bicycling experience. Many schools show these recommended routes on a map that is developed in collaboration with the local jurisdiction and perhaps a School Team.

Policy Provision:

District encourages individual schools to perform a walk audit (or other similar assessment) to (a) assess traffic and safety conditions in the vicinity of the school, (b) identify safety conditions needing mitigation, and (c) based on those assessments, begin to identify recommended routes to school. Schools may conduct this assessment as a classroom activity; through the use of school staff, volunteers, or parent associations; or in collaboration with the School Team. Where identified hazards or concerns fall within the jurisdiction of District, District shall assess and seek to mitigate as promptly as possible. When identified hazards or concerns lie outside of District’s jurisdiction, District shall work with [Local Jurisdiction] (or other appropriate entity) to mitigate them. If the identified condition cannot be fully mitigated at present, District shall encourage [Local Jurisdiction] or the appropriate entity to have such conditions marked with appropriate signage and further mitigated when funding becomes available.

Options: (select one or both options to replace the proposed language)

56 See Walking and Bicycling Audits. SRTS Guide. Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC). http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/engineering/walking_and_bicycling_audits.cfm

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[Better] District requires individual schools to perform a walk audit (or other similar assessment) to (a) assess traffic and safety conditions in the vicinity of the school, (b) identify safety conditions needing mitigation, and (c) based on those assessments, begin to identify recommended routes to school. Schools must conduct this assessment in collaboration with the School Team, which should include, at a minimum, representatives from [Local Jurisdiction]. Where identified hazards or concerns fall within the jurisdiction of District, District shall assess and seek to mitigate as promptly as possible. When identified hazards or concerns lie outside of District’s jurisdiction, District shall work with [Local Jurisdiction] or the appropriate entity to mitigate them. If the identified condition cannot be fully mitigated at present, District shall encourage [Local Jurisdiction] or the appropriate entity to have such conditions marked with appropriate signage and further mitigated when funding becomes available.

[Best]: [In addition to the above under “Better”], District shall partner with [Local Jurisdiction] to produce maps (a) identifying any hazards or travel conditions needing mitigation and (b) showing recommended routes from surrounding neighborhoods for students to travel to and from school.

Legal Note:

In producing maps that contain recommended routes to school, schools should take precautions to minimize liability. First, whoever creates the maps should take the responsibility seriously. It’s a good idea to get city or county staff involved – especially transportation, public safety, and public works officials – in identifying suggested routes, since providing good routes to schools should be part of a local government’s responsibility.

Second, maps should contain simple explanations about how they should be used. Maps should state that families remain responsible for getting their children to and from school safely, and that the school is not assuming such responsibility by providing suggested routes. They should also point out that new hazards or conditions may arise, and that families and children should use their common sense in following the maps.

A question sometimes arises regarding the term “safe” routes to school. People wonder whether by using the term “safe” routes they could be seen as promising that the routes to school are safe – a guarantee that is, of course, impossible to ensure. As a general matter,

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districts and others should feel comfortable calling a program a “Safe Routes to School” program. The term “Safe Routes to School” has been embraced by federal and state governments in funding and programming pertaining to school transportation. There is no reason to believe that this term provides any type of safety guarantee.

The issue is a little trickier when it comes to describing a map as showing “safe routes” for traveling to and from school, although any risk from use of this term is fairly remote. Although a lawyer might point to the word “safe” as having created a false sense of security if a student were injured while traveling to or from school, it would be very unlikely for a court to view the name of the route map as providing any kind of promise to users. However, to avoid this argument, and in the interests of using a more accurate description, it may be preferable for schools to refer to routes as “recommended” or “suggested” rather than “safe.”

Key Terms:

Walk Audit – A process whereby a diverse team of stakeholders reviews the physical environment within the walk area of a school to assess walking conditions and identify routes that are safer and more welcoming to walkers.

Parent Survey – An easily available survey administered by the National Center for Safe Routes to School that is used to discover why parents do, or do not, allow their children to walk and bicycle to school. The results of this survey are often used to address parental concerns and improve conditions so as to encourage parents to allow their children to walk or bicycle to school.

Multi-Use Path – Segregated pathways designated for people bicycling, walking, or otherwise engaging in active transportation or recreation.

Recommended Routes to School Map - A map, usually researched and designed by the School Team or District Task Force, detailing recommended routes for travel by bicycling or walking. Resources:Safe Routes to School: Minimizing Your Liability Risk (ChangeLab Solutions)

10 Tips for Safe Routes to School Programs and Liability (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Safe Routes to School Online Guide: School Route Maps and the Tools to Create Them. (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Parent Survey (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

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Crossing Guards

Explanation: Crossing guards and student safety patrols can improve safety conditions and increase families’ comfort with their children walking or bicycling to school. Sometimes crossing guard programs are run by local police departments or city agencies, and other times they are run by school districts. Effective crossing guard policies and programs provide a system for hiring, funding, training, locating, supervising, and properly equipping crossing guards and student safety patrols.

Policy Provision:[Where District does not administer the crossing guard program]District shall partner with administrator of crossing guard program and shall include, if appropriate, [Local Jurisdiction], Safe Routes to School District Task Force, and School Teams, to ensure that an effective process exists for hiring, funding, training, locating, supervising, and properly equipping crossing guards for District schools. District shall encourage the equitable distribution of crossing guards among District schools in light of specific safety hazards and the number of students affected by such hazards. If the number of crossing guards at a particular school is insufficient, District shall work with administrator of crossing guard program, in partnership with the aforementioned entities, to seek additional funding or resources to increase the number of crossing guards at such school.

[Alternative, where District does administer the crossing guard program]: District, working together with [Local Jurisdiction], Safe Routes to School District Task Force, and, if applicable, School Teams, shall ensure that an effective process exists for hiring, funding, training, locating, supervising, and properly equipping crossing guards for District schools. District shall further ensure the equitable distribution of crossing guards among District schools in light of specific safety hazards and the number of students affected by such hazards. If the number of crossing guards at a particular school is insufficient, District shall, in partnership with the aforementioned entities, seek additional funding or resources to increase the number of crossing guards at such school.

Options: (select one or more options to supplement the proposed language)

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[Better]: [In addition to the base or alternative base language above] District shall consider using student safety patrols to help ensure safe travel to and from school.

[Best]: [In addition to the above under “Better”] District acknowledges that certain requirements for becoming a crossing guard (e.g. background checks, etc.) may hinder

2 See, e.g., Sibley BA and Etnier JL. “The Relationship between Physical Activity and Cognition in Children: A Meta-Analysis.” Pediatric Exercise Science, 15: 243-256, 2003. http://peandhealth.wikispaces.com/file/view/Sibley+and+Etnier+2003.pdf; Pedroso M, Bogli J, Speer M, et al. Getting Students Active through Safe Routes to School: Policies and Action Steps for Education Policymakers and Professionals. Safe Routes Partnership, 2010. www.saferoutespartnership.org/sites/default/files/pdf/EducatorsGuide_0.pdf; Trost SG. Active Education: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance. San Diego, CA: Active Living Research, 2009. www.activelivingresearch.org/files/ALR_Brief_ActiveEducation_Summer2009.pdf

3 Olshansky SJ, Passaro DJ, Hershow RC, et al. “A Potential Decline in Life Expectancy in the United States in the 21st Century.” New England Journal of Medicine, 352(11): 1138-1145, 2005. www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsr043743#t=article;

4 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Midcourse Report: Strategies to Increase Physical Activity among Youth.” 2013. http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/midcourse/pag-mid-course-report-final.pdf 5 “2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS),” U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. (January 2010). http://nhts.ornl.gov/publications.shtml

6 Singh A, Uijtdewilligen L, Twisk JWR, etal. “Physical Activity and Performance at School: A Systemic Review of the Literature Including a Methodological Quality Assessment.” Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 166(1): 49-55, 2012. http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1107683

7 Church TS, Thomas DM, Tudor-Locke C, et al. “Trends over 5 Decades in U.S. Occupation-Related Physical Activity and Their Associations with Obesity.” PLoS ONE, 6(5): e19657, 2011. www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0019657; Ogden CL, Carroll MD, and Flegal KM. “High Body Mass Index for Age Among US Children and Adolescents, 2003-2006.” Journal of the American Medical Association, 299(20): 2401-2405, 2008. http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1028638 ; Goran MI, Reynolds KD, and Lindquist CH. “Role of Physical Activity in the Prevention of Obesity in Children.” International Journal of Obesity. 23(Suppl 3): S18-S33, 1999. www-hsc.usc.edu/~goran/PDF%20papers/R22.pdf

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recruitment.57 District endeavors to address these barriers by working with the relevant authorities and stakeholders.

8 Davison KK, Werder, JL and Lawson CT. “Children’s Active Commuting to School: Current Knowledge and Future Directions.” Preventing Chronic Disease, 5(3): 1-11, 2008. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2483568/pdf/PCD53A100.pdf

9 Active Living Research. Walking and Biking to School, Physical Activity and Health Outcomes. May 2009. Available at: http://216.92.169.205/files/ALR_Brief_ActiveTransport.pdf

10 Geier AB, Foster GD, Womble LG, et al. “The Relationship between Relative Weight and School Attendance Among Elementary Schoolchildren. Obesity, 15(8): 2157-61, 2007.

11 See, e.g., Sibley, B & Etnier, J. “The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Cognition in Children: A Meta-Analysis.” Pediatric Exercise Science, 15: 243-256, 2003; Safe Routes Partnership. Getting Students Active through Safe Routes to School: Policies and Action Steps for Education Policymakers and Professionals. June 2010, pp. 6-12. www.saferoutespartnership.org/media/file/EducatorsGuide.pdf; see also Active Living Research. Active Education: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance. 2009. http://216.92.169.205/files/Active_Ed_Summer2009.pdf.

12 Martínez-Gómez D, Ruiz JR, Gómez-Martínez S, et al. “Active Commuting to School and Cognitive Performance in Adolescents.” Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, 165(4): 300-305, 2010. http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=384475

13 Marshall WE and Garrick NW. “Evidence on Why Bike-Friendly Cities Are Safer for All Road Users.” Environmental Practice, 13(1): 16-27, 2011; Jacobsen PL. “Safety in Numbers: More Walkers and Bicyclists, Safer Walking and Bicycling.” Injury Prevention, 9(3): 205-209, 2003.

14 Dimaggio C and Li G. “Effectiveness of a Safe Routes to School Program in Preventing School-Aged Pedestrian Injury.” Pediatrics, 131(2): 290-296, 2013.

15 US Environmental Protection Agency. Climate Change – What You Can Do. www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/road.html

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Legal Note: It is simplest for school districts when local municipalities or counties administer crossing guard programs. However, school districts may have existing crossing guard programs or may want to understand the legal implications of beginning or operating a crossing guard program.

In general, schools do not owe a duty to students to protect against injuries that occur off campus or outside of normal school hours. Moreover, they are not obligated to implement crossing guard programs, even for notoriously dangerous crosswalks that their students must navigate en route to and from school. However, a school can be held liable for student injuries occurring off campus if it has “specifically assumed” a responsibility for student safety. That is,

16 Brandt SJ, Perez L, Künzli N, et al. “Costs of Childhood Asthma Due to Traffic-Related Pollution in Two California Communities.” European Respiratory Journal, 40(2): 363-370, 2012.

17 McDonald N, Brown A, Marchetti L, et al. “U.S. School Travel, 2009: An Assessment of Trends.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 41(2): 146-151, 2011. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379711002637; U.S. Department of Transportation. National Household Travel Survey: Congestion - Who is Traveling in the Peak? Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Transportation. August, 2007, p. 1 (finding that 10.8% of peak commute traffic is due to school drop-offs after which the parent or driver does not continue on to work or another destination). http://financecommission.dot.gov/Documents/NHTS%20Fact%20Sheet%20on%20Congestion%20and%20Peak%20Travelers.pdf

18 Powell L, Slater S, and Chalupka F. “The Relationship between Community Physical Activity Settings and Race, Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status.” Evidence-Based Preventive Medicine, 1(2): 135–44, 2004. www.impacteen.org/journal_pub/pub_PDFs/EBPM-1-2-Powell%20et%20al1.pdf

19 Gordon-Larsen P, Nelson MC, Page P, et al. “Inequality in the Built Environment Underlies Key Health Disparities in Physical Activity and Obesity.” Pediatrics, 117(2): 417–24, 2006. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/117/2/417.full.pdf+html. (finding in nationally representative study that “all major categories of [physical activity]-related resources are distributed inequitably, with high-minority, low-educated neighborhoods at a strong disadvantage. In addition, this inequitable distribution is significantly associated with subsequent disparities in health-related behaviors and obesity measured at the individual level.”).

20 Gordon-Larsen P, Nelson M, Page P, et al. “Inequality in the Built Environment Underlies Key Health Disparities in Physical Activity and Obesity.” Pediatrics, 117(2): 417–24, 2006; Powell L, Slater S and Chalupka F. “The Relationship between Community Physical Activity Settings and Race, Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status.” Evidence-Based Preventive Medicine, 1(2): 135–44, 2004; see also Playing Smart: Maximizing the Potential of School and Community Property through Joint Use Agreements. ChangeLab Solutions and KaBoom! 2012. http://changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Playing_Smart-National_Joint_Use_Toolkit_Updated_20120517_0.pdf

21 Bridging the Gap. “Income Disparities in Street Features that Encourage Walking.” 2012. www.bridgingthegapresearch.org/_asset/02fpi3/btg_street_walkability_FINAL_03-09-12.pdf

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if a school district provides and administers a crossing guard program, it has undertaken to provide students with a measure of supervision and protection and therefore owes students a duty to operate and administer the program in a reasonable manner. Thus, once a school voluntarily assumes responsibility for a crossing guard program, it may be held liable for any injuries that result from its failure to operate the program with reasonable care. This does not mean the school will be held liable for all accidents that occur – just for those where the school acted negligently. Schools choose to operate crossing guard programs despite the possible exposure to liability for two reasons: (1) because they care about increasing student safety; and (2) because often the best way to avoid liability is to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place.

22 Patrick Morency, Lise Gauvin, Céline Plante, Michel Fournier, and Catherine Morency. (2012). “Neighborhood Social Inequalities in Road Traffic Injuries: The Influence of Traffic Volume and Road Design.” American Journal of Public Health, 102(6): 1112-1119, 2012. http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300528

23 Chomitz VR, Slining MM, McGowan RT, et al. “Is There a Relationship between Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement? Positive Results from Public School Children in Northeastern United States.” Journal of School Health, 79: 30-37, 2009. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/physicalactivity/sites/default/files/Fit_kids_are_smart_kids.pdf

24 Mahar MT, Murphy SK, Rowe DA, et al. “Effects of a Classroom-Based Program on Physical Activity and On-Task Behavior.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38(12): 2086-2094, 2006. www.nemours.org/content/dam/nemours/www/filebox/service/preventive/nhps/pep/paon-taskbehavior.pdf

27 Drake KM, Beach ML, Longacre MR, et al. “Influence of Sports, Physical Education, and Active Commuting to School on Adolescent Weight Status.” Pediatrics. 130(2): 29-304, 2012. US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General (HHS). Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences. 2007. www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/obesity/fact_consequences.html

28 Martínez-Gómez D, Ruiz JR, Gómez-Martínez S, et al. “Active Commuting to School and Cognitive Performance in Adolescents: The AVENA Study.” Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 165(4):300-305, 2010. http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=384475; Geier AB, Foster GD, Womble LG, et al. “The Relationship between Relative Weight and School Attendance among Elementary Schoolchildren.” Obesity. 15(8): 2157-2161, 2007. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2007.256/pdf; Davis CL and Cooper S. “Fitness, Fatness, Cognition, Behavior, and Academic Achievement among Overweight Children: Do Cross-Sectional Associations Correspond to Exercise Trial Outcomes?” Preventive Medicine. 52 (Supplement): S65-S69, 2011; Faulkner NH, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, et al. “Social, Educational, and Psychological Correlates of Weight Status in Adolescents.” Obesity Research. 9(1): 32-42, 2001.

29 Gauderman JW, Avol E, Lurmann F, et al. “Childhood Asthma and Exposure to Traffic and Nitrogen Dioxide.” Epidemiology. 16(6): 737-743, 2005.

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With regards to student safety patrols, it is unlikely that schools would face liability in case of an injury. Keep in mind that, typically, student safety patrols monitor and control student-pedestrians; they do not control traffic. As with crossing guard programs, however, any time a school fails to operate a program with reasonable care, it exposes itself to potential liability. Thus, schools do well to establish proper guidelines for running student safety patrol programs. Likewise, they will want to anticipate possible dangers and take reasonable steps to avoid them. It’s also worth repeating that if the patrols decrease the likelihood of injuries occurring to students, the overall effect might be to decrease the risk of liability for the district.

Key Terms:Student Safety Patrol – Student Safety Patrols use responsible, trained students to help shepherd other students across streets and to regulate student drop-offs, thus increasing enforcement of drop-off and pick-up procedures as well as walking and bicycling safety standards.58

Resources:Florida School Crossing Guard Training Guidelines (Florida Department of Transportation)

Crossing Guard Train the Trainer (Colorado Department of Transportation)

Adult Crossing Guard Guidelines (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Volunteers and Liability: The Federal Volunteer Protection Act (ChangeLab Solutions)

Oregon Traffic Patrol Manual (Oregon Department of Transportation)

More than Crossing Streets (Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University)

30 Orenstein MR, Gutierrez NR, Thomas M, et al. Safe Routes to School Safety and Mobility Analysis. Berkeley, CA: University of California Traffic Safety Center, 2007. http://escholarship.org/uc/item/5455454c#page-2

37 Safe Routes to Schools Program Evaluation. Safe Routes to Schools Marin County, 2011. www.saferoutestoschools.org/documents/TAMSR2SProgramEvaluationwithAppendix-LowRes-112211.pdf; Staunton et al., supra note 29.

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Student Arrival and Dismissal

Explanation: Most schools experience their own version of “rush hour” during the beginning and end of the school day. School-related traffic contributes significantly to morning rush hours in our communities. Arrival and dismissal traffic can create dangers for everyone, but especially for students walking and bicycling, who are more vulnerable. This provision is designed to increase safety through arrival and dismissal procedures that facilitate the orderly flow of traffic to and from school. By working with the local jurisdiction, Safe Routes to School Team, students, families, and neighbors, schools can plan for smooth traffic flow through the school area.

Policy Provision: District recognizes that ensuring student safety is especially critical during student arrival and dismissal times due to (i) increased automobile and bus traffic volume, and (ii) the potential for conflicts between different modes of transportation, which creates particular danger for those engaging in active transportation. Accordingly, District requires individual schools to improve the safety of all modes of transportation during these time periods by separating active transportation from other forms of transportation as much as possible.

Potential options include: establishing remote drop-off locations, car-free zones, single lanes for drop-offs and pick-ups, and early dismissal for active transporters.

Options: (select one option to replace proposed base language)

[Better]: To achieve this end, one or more of the following strategies must be adopted by every District school: remote drop-offs, car-free zones, single lanes for drop-offs and pick-ups, early dismissal for active transporters, or any other strategy that meaningfully improves safety for active transporters during arrival and dismissal times.

[Best]: In addition to the above under [“Better”]: Such strategies shall be developed with input from relevant [Local Jurisdiction] agencies and School Team and shall be incorporated into the School Travel Plan.

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Key Terms:Remote Drop-Off – A designated park, church, library, or quiet intersection several blocks from the school where students can be dropped off to walk, in lieu of the normal pick-up/drop-off in front of the school, allowing a little exercise before school and less traffic congestion in front of the school.

Car-Free ZonesAreas around the school that are closed off to automobiles – including driveways and, at times, parking lots - in order to decrease automobile traffic and increase safety for those walking and bicycling through these designated areas.

Single Lanes for Drop-Offs/Pick-Ups –Intended to minimize conflict between automobiles and decrease blind spots created by cars passing each other, single lane drop-offs simplify the pick-up/drop-off process, making it safer for pedestrians and automobiles to coexist.

Early Dismissal for Active Transporters – Allows students using active transportation to leave school 10-15 minutes earlier than other students, giving them time to get clear of automobile traffic near the school.

Resources:Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

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No Idling Policy

Explanation: Almost 10.5 million days of school are missed each year due to asthma.59 There is a strong link between asthma, air quality, and student exposure to exhaust from automobiles.60 Research confirms that poor air quality often exists in and around schools.61 Air pollution is particularly hazardous to children, due to their fast respiratory rate and developing bodies and brains.62 In addition, exposure to exhaust inside of buses and automobiles is a serious health risk, even more than walking or bicycling near those vehicles.63 Modern motor vehicles do not need to keep running when not in use, except where temperature extremes necessitate idling to ensure a safe temperature inside the vehicle. Schools can improve air quality and decrease student exposure to automobile exhaust by working to reduce traffic, getting more students to engage in active transportation, converting diesel bus fleets to those with cleaner fuel capabilities,64 and eliminating vehicle idling around schools. This policy codifies concrete measures regarding idling on or near school grounds.

Policy Provision:65

District acknowledges that idling motor vehicles on or near school campuses increase air pollution, negatively affecting the health of everyone in the vicinity of the school, particularly children. Accordingly, District prohibits all motor vehicles, including passenger cars and school buses, from idling on school grounds.

School bus drivers shall turn off engines immediately upon reaching their destination. During pick-up time, school buses shall not idle while waiting for students to board and shall not be restarted until they are ready to depart and there is a clear path to exit the pick-up area. Warm-up time shall be limited to three to five minutes, unless the temperature or other safety condition requires additional time. In severe weather, when the temperature of the interior of the bus is an issue, idling is to be kept at a minimum and shall occur outside of the school zone.66

Options: (select one option to supplement the proposed language)

[Better]: “No idling” signs shall be posted at each school to alert bus drivers, families, vendors, and visitors that engines should be turned off when vehicles are waiting or parked. In addition, when extreme temperatures exist, all schools must allow the bus driver to wait on school grounds or in a temperature-controlled room until the driver needs to be in the bus.

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[Best]: [In addition to the above under “Better”]: In addition, District shall work with [Local Jurisdiction] to prohibit idling of motor vehicles on grounds adjacent to school.

Key Terms:

Idling – Refers to leaving an automobile or school bus running when it is not being driven.

School Zone – A school zone typically refers to the area within 1,000 feet of the school grounds. Resources: Safe Routes to School and Traffic Pollution: Get Children Moving and Reduce Exposure to Unhealthy Air

Steps to a Greener Future: How Walking and Bicycling to School Reduces Carbon Emissions and Air Pollutants

Model No Idling Policy (Asthma Regional Council of New England)

“Air Quality and Exercise-Related Health Benefits from Reduced Car Travel in the Midwestern United States” (2012)

“Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Development of Allergic Sensitization in Children during the First 8 Years of Life” (2012)

“Vehicle Emissions during Children’s School Commuting: Impacts of Education Policy” (2010)

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Bicycles, Scooters, and Skateboards on Campus

Explanation: Out of concern for school property and student safety, schools sometimes choose to prohibit use of skateboards, scooters, bicycles, and similar devices on campus. But one of the benefits of these forms of transportation is efficiency, both on and off campus. Schools can require use of safe, separated routes designated for wheeled active transportation through campus. Allowing students to use these devices on campus outside of school hours also encourages physical activity. In many communities, schools may be an appropriate recreational facility (possibility the only one) for kids during after-school hours.

Policy Provision:

District, in partnership with individual schools, shall designate active transportation routes across school grounds that provide for safe and convenient travel to exterior access points (i.e. crosswalks, bike lanes, etc.) as well as to interior access points on campus.

Options (select one or more options to supplement the proposed language):

[Good]: District supports students engaging in bicycling, scootering, skateboarding, and other forms of human-powered transport on school grounds, so long as such use occurs outside of school hours.

Key Terms:School Travel Plan – A written document, developed through a robust planning process that includes diverse stakeholders, that outlines an overall strategy to make it safer and easier for users of all modes of transportation, especially active transportation, to travel to and from the school site.

Resources:

School Travel Plan Guidelines: A Reference for Communities (Ohio)

School Travel Planning Toolkit (Active and Safe Routes to School: Canada)

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Bicycle Parking and Related Storage FacilitiesExplanation: Providing safe and accessible opportunities to park bicycles and other active transport devices at schools (and in the surrounding community) is essential to encouraging sustained use of such devices. Unfortunately, although ample automobile parking has been common at schools, bicycle storage has generally been overlooked, and storage for other active transportation devices is practically nonexistent. When present, bicycle racks may be substandard, insufficient, and located in low-visibility areas on school campuses where bicycles are at risk for theft. In contrast, when racks are abundant and prominent, bicycling has been shown to be an accepted and welcomed practice and can achieve its full potential for health benefits and reduced traffic congestion.67 The most common bicycle racks installed at schools – often referred to as “wheel benders” – are inadequate for modern bicycle needs. School districts should make bicycle parking, storage, and security at each school a priority, and they should consider access and storage for skateboards, scooters, and other devices as well. Protecting bicycles from the elements can also encourage bicycling. Bicycle shelters can be purchased or constructed by districts or, with adequate design guidance, constructed by volunteers.

Policy Provision:

District shall ensure that each school provides sufficient storage facilities for bicycles, scooters, skateboards, or similar human-powered devices to encourage active transportation to and from school. District shall seek the input of active transportation advocates to ensure that the quality of such facilities is satisfactory. Further, District shall ensure that the quantity of storage facilities increases in proportion to demand. Individual schools may not unreasonably restrict storage of active transportation devices in designated areas during school hours.

Options (select one option to supplement the proposed language):

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[Better]: To ensure convenience and protection from theft or vandalism, storage facilities shall be located in visible areas, near school entrances, and, when deemed appropriate by school officials, in locked facilities.

[Best]: To ensure convenience and protection from theft or vandalism, storage facilities shall be located in visible areas, near school entrances, and, when deemed appropriate by school officials, in locked facilities. All storage facilities shall provide protection from the elements. District shall also encourage individual schools to provide air pumps and other common repair tools to help students fix minor equipment failures.

Key Terms: Wheel Bender – A term used for racks that have a slot for the front wheel of a bicycle but don’t support the rest of the bicycle. Thus they allow the bicycle to fall over and (when subjected to force) the front wheel to bend. Wheel benders have been installed by default at the majority of schools for decades. They do not allow users to adequately lock bicycles and their design poses a risk of damage to bicycles.Substandard and Insufficient Bicycle Racks – See resource: Bicycle Parking, Storage and Security at Schools.Skateboard Storage – Racks or identified rooms where skateboards can easily be locked and stored.

Resources:Bicycle Parking, Storage and Security at Schools (Safe Routes Partnership)

Model Bike Parking Ordinance (ChangeLab Solutions)

Bike Parking Guidelines (Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Planners)

Bicycle Parking (www.bicyclinginfo.org)

Bike Shelter Project Development Guide (Portland Public Schools)

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Student Transportation Department: The Bus Stops Here

Explanation: Traditionally, student transportation departments in the U.S. have focused primarily on issues related to school buses and motor vehicles, such as school bus scheduling and management, as well as bus and vehicle safety, parking, traffic flow, and convenience. Bicycling, walking, and other forms of active transportation have commonly been overlooked. This policy aims to ensure that the student transportation department expands its focus to include active transportation and Safe Routes to School planning as critical elements of getting all students to and from school safely.

Policy Provision:

The role of the Student Transportation Department [and/or insert appropriate job title] shall include, among other things:

a. Encouraging active transportation to and from school;b. Decreasing the number of personal motor vehicles on or near campus that drop

off and pick up students;c. Managing school bus pick-up and drop-off systems to minimize conflicts

between buses, personal motor vehicles, and those engaged in active transportation;

d. Identifying and pursuing funding for Safe Routes to School programs and infrastructure improvements, particularly for hazards or areas where infrastructure could improve safety for active transportation to school; and

e. Actively participating in the Safe Routes to School District Task Force.

This Policy shall be incorporated into District’s [Transportation Policies].

Options: (select one option to supplement the proposed language)

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[Better] The Student Transportation Department [and/or insert appropriate job title] shall act as a liaison between the Superintendent, District Task Force, School Teams, and [Local Jurisdiction’s] agencies responsible for traffic conditions and hazards, street infrastructure and design, and enforcement, such as the [Local Jurisdiction’s] transportation department, public safety department, etc.

[Best] [In addition to the above under “Better”] Conducting the responsibilities laid out in this policy shall constitute at least [X] percent of [insert appropriate job title] job responsibilities.

Legal Note: If there is concern that changing the roles of the transportation director or other individuals may implicate collective bargaining or other employment law issues, you may want to consult with your legal counsel to ensure that such concerns are adequately addressed.

Key Terms: (none)

Resources:

Find It Fund It (Advocacy Advance)

Safe Routes to School Funding Portal (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

A Primer on Federal Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects (Advocacy Advance)

School Bus Funding: Cuts and Hazard/Courtesy Busing (Safe Routes Partnership)

Effective Practices to Confront School Busing Cuts (Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University)

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School Travel Plan: Moving Beyond the Bus

Explanation: A School Travel Plan is a good tool for addressing the unique needs of everyone arriving and departing at a school. While a Safe Routes to School policy lays out a general plan for active transportation in a district as a whole, a School Travel Plan provides a detailed plan for a specific school, describing the school and its students’ travel needs. The School Travel Plan can begin with an initial assessment, identifying potential barriers, setting goals, and ultimately designing a plan of action that revolves around the “Six E’s” of Safe Routes to School. This policy provision encourages each school to engage in individualized review of the current and future travel needs of students and staff, with the input and support of a diverse advisory school team.

Policy Provision:

District requires that each school adopt a School Travel Plan that addresses all modes of active transportation and related safety, access, and parking issues. The plans shall also include goals, strategies, and objectives for increasing active transportation among students and staff, including those with disabilities. At a minimum, the School Travel Plan shall contain a map identifying the school, streets surrounding the school, existing traffic controls, established pedestrian and bicycle routes, pedestrian crossings, school and municipal bus routes and bus stops, and any other infrastructure or plans that facilitate routes which separate active commuters from motor vehicles, with the goal of minimizing risk of injury and maximizing the safety and convenience of active transportation.

Options (select the option to supplement the proposed language):

[Better] School Travel Plans shall be updated [on a regular basis/every [one/two/three] years] with input from various stakeholders, including when appropriate: school personnel; parents; students; concerned community members; and representatives from relevant government agencies such as public safety, transportation, public health, public works, engineering, and planning.

Key Terms: School Travel Plan – A written document, developed through a robust planning process that includes diverse stakeholders, that outlines an overall strategy to make it safer and easier for users of all modes of transportation, especially active transportation, to travel to and from the school site.

Resources:

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Webinar: The Community Connection: School Travel Plans and Building Community Support (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

School Travel Plan Guidelines: A Reference for Communities (Ohio)

School Travel Planning Toolkit (Active and Safe Routes to School: Canada)

School Travel Plan Template (Ohio)

School Travel Plans: Preliminary Evidence for Changing School-Related Travel Patterns in Elementary School Children (American Journal of Health Promotion)

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Busing

Explanation: Busing can play a significant role in meeting a district’s educational and equity objectives. At the same time, busing costs are among the largest expenses school districts incur.68 This policy encourages District student transportation and administrative staff to carefully consider the long-term costs of busing service, and to encourage walking and bicycling as alternatives within the areas that could reasonably be walked or biked.

If the District is considering changes to busing service, the District should prioritize active transportation to improve student health and reduce busing costs, congestion, and air pollution. When bus service is reduced, schools frequently see a large, immediate increase in motor vehicle traffic. In this situation, Safe Routes to School programs can help to reduce the number of additional vehicles that approach the school each day. Additionally, schools can consider ”remote drop-off” for buses as well as Safe Routes to Bus Stops programs to improve safety and access for students walking or bicycling to remote bus stops. In the event of hazards that make active transportation unsafe, such as busy or wide street crossings, lack of sidewalks, fast-moving traffic, and other barriers, Safe Routes to School programs and projects may be able to address the hazard and enable active transportation.

Policy Provision: District acknowledges that busing may play a significant role in supporting student learning and meeting District’s educational and equity objectives. District also supports integrating active transportation into its existing busing policies. Accordingly, before approval of any increase, decrease, or other change in service in busing within the “walk boundary” of the school, District shall ensure that such changes are preceded by analyzing: (i) the potential increase in automobile trips to and from school resulting from the change in service, and (ii) the costs of improving safety within the “walk boundary” through infrastructure improvements, education, and encouragement that would ultimately allow more students living within the “walk boundary” to engage in active transportation.

District (by partnering with an appropriate entity if necessary) shall further ensure that bus drivers receive training on how to drive safely on routes frequented by those engaged in active transportation.

Options: (select one or more options to supplement proposed language)

[Good]: For students who live within the “walk boundary” but are bused due to hazardous conditions such as limited sidewalks or high-volume roadways, District shall work with [Local Jurisdiction] to improve safety conditions to permit active transportation to and from school. District, in partnership with [Local Jurisdiction], shall (a) identify all safety conditions requiring mitigation, and (b) prioritize when and how to mitigate such conditions based on the severity of the condition and financial feasibility

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of such mitigation. District shall work with [Local Jurisdiction] to ensure, insofar as possible, that such conditions are mitigated in order of priority.

[Better]: [In addition to the above under “Good”] District will integrate active transportation into bus and vehicle travel. Options may include voluntary or mandatory remote drop-offs for buses or private motor vehicles, as well as Safe Routes to Bus Stops programs.

Key Terms:Remote Drop-Offs - A designated park, church, library, business, or quiet intersection, located a reasonable distance from the school, where students can be dropped off and walk in lieu of pick-up/drop-off right at the school, thus allowing for physical activity before school and less traffic congestion and air pollution near the school.

Safe Routes to Bus Stops Programs – Some students may live too far from school to walk or bicycle. These students may also encounter safety hazards when walking or riding to a remote bus stop. Safe Routes to Bus Stops encourage active transportation and improve walking and bicycling conditions between bus stops and student residential areas.

Walk Boundary – The designated area around a school which encompasses a distance that administrators, parents, and/or municipal staff determine is safe and reasonable for children to walk to and/or from school. A generally acceptable distance is one mile. The walk boundary also should take into account natural and human-made barriers.

Resources:Addressing School Bus Costs through Walking and Bicycling

“Vehicle Emissions during Children’s School Commuting: Impacts of Education Policy” (2010)

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School Design

Explanation: Creating a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly campus requires forethought and planning, especially when designing a new campus. The school design provision requires schools to consider a variety of options for facilitating active transportation on school grounds. A growing number of schools and parks are installing innovative features, including bicycle and skateboard-oriented recreational, educational, and sports facilities such as pump tracks, safety towns, dirt trails, and BMX/skateboard tracks and parks.

Policy Provision: District acknowledges that school design can have a significant impact on both the safety and number of students that engage in active transportation to and from school. Accordingly, when constructing a new school or renovating an existing school, District shall:

a. Accommodate the safety and convenience of students, staff, and visitors, including those with disabilities, as they arrive and depart by different modes of transportation, including but not limited to walking, bicycling, public transportation, school buses, and private automobiles; and

b. Minimize conflicts between those engaging in active transportation, school buses, and private automobiles by providing, at a minimum, safe crossings at parking lots and other areas of potential conflict.

Options: (selecting between five and eight additional options to supplement the proposed language is [Better]; selecting more than eight is [Best])

Health and Safety Options

District shall require all schools to:

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a. Work to establish remote drop-off locations or “staging posts” approximately 0.5 miles from school entrances;

b. Provide multiple entrances to and exits from the school for active transportation, separate from automobile access points;

c. Provide a practical and safe route for bicycles and pedestrians through the school campus;

d. Avoid having entrances and exits for walking and bicycling on fast or busy roadways or parking areas;

e. Avoid locating waiting zones for school buses, truck unloading/loading zones, and garbage areas near fresh air intake vents for school buildings or areas where those engaged in active transportation congregate or travel.

Encouragement Options

District shall require all schools to:

a. Provide free or subsidized benefits to staff who engage in active transportation or use public transit to travel to and from school (e.g., bicycle storage, transit passes, showers, lockers), especially if benefits (such as free or subsidized parking) are provided to staff who drive;

b. Limit the provision of free and low-cost vehicle parking for students;c. Provide free, student-run valet bicycle parking;d. Provide or upgrade storage facilities for bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and

other human-powered devices, as appropriate, to encourage active transportation to and from school;

e. Consider feasibility of establishing a student or professional repair shop on site and providing bicycle maintenance classes for students;

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f. Consider feasibility of establishing a fleet of bicycles at each school for use in safety training classes;

g. Provide facilities that encourage physical activity through active transportation (e.g. pump tracks, safety towns, etc.).

Key Terms:

Pump Track – A track primarily used by mountain and BMX bikes that allows riders to work on their bicycling technique as they traverse bumps, jumps, and drop-offs.

Safety Town – A small scale version of a town, complete with streets and traffic signs, that allows students to practice their bicycle and pedestrian traffic safety skills in a contained environment before using streets with real traffic.

Resources:How School Locations Can Make Students Healthier and Communities Stronger (ChangeLab Solutions)

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Schools (US Green Building Council)

Active School Neighborhood Checklist (Arizona Department of Transportation)

The California Sustainable Schools Project: School Siting

Bicycle Rack Placement at Schools (Greatergreaterwashington.org)

Bike Shelter Project Development Guide: SAMPLE (Portland Public Schools)

School Siting

Explanation: One of the largest challenges pertaining to the long-term future of active transportation involves the location of schools.69 Recent trends show that schools are locating far from where students live. These trends, which include building schools on the outskirts of

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towns or along busy highways where land is inexpensive, may temporarily reduce costs but may drive up the longer-term costs of busing and personal transportation while exposing students to a myriad of heath risks. Robust school siting policies will not only help ensure that students live near enough to schools to walk and bicycle to them, but will also help protect the health of future generations.

School siting is a complex issue, and we recommend that districts address the issue comprehensively by working through ChangeLab Solutions’ detailed Model School Siting Policies for School Districts, which enable districts to thoroughly evaluate school siting procedures and adopt effective policies. The policy contained herein is a first step.

Policy Provision:

District acknowledges the importance of schools’ locations for students and for the entire community, including the importance of locating schools in or near residential neighborhoods and in central locations in order to (i) achieve important benefits for students’ health, (ii) allow students to engage in active transportation to and from school, and (iii) provide students and community members the opportunity to use school grounds for play and physical activity when school is not in session.70

Options: (select one option to supplement the proposed language)

[Good]: In making school siting determinations (including selecting new sites, renovating or rebuilding on existing sites, and closing existing schools), District shall give high priority to locations that:

(a) are walkable and bikeable [and provide access to public transportation] for a substantial proportion of the assigned student body;

(b) have routes that support safe and active transportation to and from school;

(c) support racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity; (d) are near other community resources.

District shall also prioritize maintaining and retrofitting older school buildings over new construction.

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[Better]: [In addition to the above under “Good,”] In addition, District shall coordinate its land use planning with [Local Jurisdiction] and offer opportunities for public input during the planning process. District shall conduct feasibility studies to determine the full cost of school siting, including, among other things:

A comparison of renovation and new construction options; The cost of demolition, student transportation, and extending

infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks, and sewers for any new construction; and

36 Marshall JD, Wilson RD, Meyer KL, et al. “Vehicle Emissions during Children’s School Commuting: Impacts of Education Policy.” Environmental Science and Technology. 44(5): 1537-1543, 2010. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es902932n

41 See National School Lunch Program Fact Sheet. Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture. 2012. www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Lunch/AboutLunch/NSLPFactSheet.pdf

46 Georgia, for example, has extremely broad immunity for school districts and school officials. See Griswold v. Collins, 318 Ga.App. 556, 558 (Ga. App. 2012); 734Kaylor v. Rome City Sch. Dist., 600 S.E.2d 723, 726 (Ga. App. 2004); McDowell v. Smith, 678 S.E.2d 922 (Ga. 2009).

47The scope of governmental immunity in Oklahoma is fairly narrow. See Robinson v. City of Bartlesville Bd. of Educ., 700 P.2d 1013, 1015-16 (Okla. 1985).

48 See, e.g., Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 161.148(4) (2012); Mass. Gen. Laws ch.71, § 38R (2012); Utah Code § 53A-3-410 (2012); Tex. Educ. Code § 22.0835 (2012).

49 See, e.g., N.J. Rev. Stat. § 18A:6-7.1 (2012); Cal. Educ. Code §§ 35021.1, 35021.3 (2012).

50 Note that in so called “home rule” states, school districts are granted broad authority. See, e.g., Ind. Code § 20-26-3-1 (2012) (granting school districts “all the powers needed for the[ir] effective operation”).

51 See, e.g., Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 161.148(4) (2012) (“all volunteers who have contact with students on a regularly scheduled or continuing basis”); Mass. Gen. Laws ch.71, § 38R (2012) (volunteers who will have “direct and unmonitored contact with children”); N.J. Rev. Stat. § 18A:6-7.1 (2012) (volunteers who have “regular contact with pupils”); Utah Code § 53A-3-410 (2012) (volunteers who will have “significant unsupervised access to a student”).

52 See, e.g., Tex. Educ. Code § 22.0835 (2012).

53 See, e.g., Utah Code § 53A-3-410 (2012) (fingerprinting is mandatory for all new volunteers and optional for existing volunteers; fingerprints are kept on file and the school district is notified of any new offenses involving sex, drugs, alcohol, or offenses against the person); Cal. Educ. Code § 35021.3 (2012) (defining a voluntary process whereby districts create a registry of before- and after-school program

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An evaluation of school siting decisions and their impact on land-use patterns, student transportation costs, number of vehicle miles traveled, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Key Terms: School Siting – Refers to the place where a school was, is, or will be located.

Resources:

volunteers; prospective volunteers must provide fingerprints to the state Department of Justice, and, in some instances, the Federal Bureau of Investigation).

54 See, e.g., Tex. Educ. Code § 22.0835 (2012).

55 Bicycle Trains. SRTS Guide. http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/walking_school_bus/bicycle_trains.cfm

57 See Adult School Crossing Guard Guidelines. National Center for Safe Routes to School, Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center. http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/crossing_guard/pdf/crossing_guard_guidelines_web.pdf

58 See AAA School Safety Patrol Operations Manual. Traffic Safety Programs, AAA. www.aaa.com/aaa/049/PublicAffairs/SSPManual.pdf

60 Brandt et al., supra note 11.

61 Healthy School Environment Resources: Indoor Air Quality. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2012. http://cfpub.epa.gov/schools/top_sub.cfm?t_id=41&s_id=4; Hall R, Hardin T and Ellis R. School Indoor Air Quality: Best Management Practices Manual. Office of Environmental Health and Safety, Indoor Air Quality Program and Washington State Department of Health. 2003. www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/Pubs/333-044.pdf; Parent’s Guide to School Indoor Air Quality. Albany, NY: Healthy Schools Network, Inc. 2012. www.healthyschools.org/downloads/IAQ_Guide.pdf

62 Clean School Bus. National Clean Diesel Campaign, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). http://epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/antiidling.htm

63 Solomon GM, Campbell TR, Ruderman Feuer G, et al. No Breathing in the Aisles: Diesel Exhaust Inside School Buses. Natural Resources Defense Council Coalition for Clean Air. 2001. www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/schoolbus/schoolbus.pdf

59 National Surveillance of Asthma: United States, 2001-2010. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. 2003. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_03/sr03_035.pdf

64 See Kassel R and Baily D. Cleaning Up Today’s Dirty Diesels: Retrofitting and Replacing Heavy-Duty Vehicles in the Coming Decade. Natural Resources Defense Council. 2005.

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Policy Package: Model School Siting Policies for School Districts (ChangeLab Solutions, 2012 )

Smart School Siting: How School Locations Can Make Students Healthier and Communities Stronger (National Policy & Legal Analysis Network, ChangeLab Solutions, 2012)

Voluntary School Siting Guidelines (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

Active School Neighborhood Checklist (Arizona Department of Transportation)

Why Johnny Can't Walk to School: Historic Neighborhood Schools in the Age of Sprawl (National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2002)

Helping Johnny Walk to School: Policy Recommendations for Removing Barriers to Community-Centered Schools (National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2009)

State Policies Governing School Site Size (CEFPI School Building Association)

Travel and Environmental Implications of School Siting (Environmental Protection Agency)

www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/retrofit/retrofit.pdf

65 See School Bus No Idling Policy. Asthma Regional Council of New England (hereinafter, ARC). http://asthmaregionalcouncil.org/uploads/IAQ/ModelNoIdlingPolicy.pdf

66 Id.

67 New York City: Bicycle Parking Needs. City of New York, Department of City Planning Transportation Division, 1999. www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/transportation/td_fullbicycleparking.pdf; Healy I and Wine J. Bike Easy: Evaluation of Bicycle Parking in the French Quarter. New Orleans: A Bike Easy Project. 2011. http://prc.tulane.edu/uploads/BIke-Easy-FQ-Bike-Parking-Full-Report-031512-1350925328.pdf

68 Digest of Education Statistics: 2011. National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, 2011. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d11/ch_2.asp

69 Salvesen D and Hervey P. Good Schools – Good Neighborhoods. CURS Report No. 2003.03. Center for Urban and Regional Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003. http://curs.unc.edu/curs-pdf-downloads/recentlyreleased/goodschoolsreport.pdf

70 Martin S, Lee S and Lowry R. “National Prevalence and Correlates of Walking and Bicycling to School.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 33(2): 98-105, 2007. See also U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. KidsWalk: Then and Now – Barriers and Solutions. 2008. www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk/then_and_now.htm

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Attendance Zones and Assignment Policies

Explanation: Many factors go into determining school attendance zones and assignment policies and they can have a strong effect on active transportation options for students. If schools are located long distances from where students reside, transportation options become limited for both families and student transportation departments. School catchment areas determine whether active transportation is a viable option for a given student. This policy ensures consideration of the walkability and bikeability of a district’s attendance zones and assignment policies.

Policy Provision:

District acknowledges that many factors are used to determine school attendance zones and assignment policies. Whenever District considers revisions to such zones and policies, District shall endeavor to ensure that: (i) the maximum number of students can engage in active transportation, and (ii) zones and policies support racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity. Any such revisions shall include input from [Local Jurisdiction], families, and community members.

Key Terms: School Catchment Area – The geographic area or boundaries of the zone from which students are drawn for a given school.

Feeder Patterns – The sequence of schools through which a student passes as they progress through grades.

Resources:

Smart School Siting: How School Locations Can Make Students Healthier and Communities Stronger (ChangeLab Solutions, 2013)

Understanding the School Environment (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

Safe Routes to School Guide: Around the School (National Center for Safe Routes to School)

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Finishing Up

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a Safe Routes to School policy!

A Few Final Considerations

Now that you have your tailored Safe Routes to School policy, you’ll want to double check a few things.

First, does it accurately reflect the distribution of authority between the state, school board, and local government in your state? Your school attorney or other district personnel should be able to easily assess this. Modify the language in the policy if need be.

Second, does the policy appear in the format that is used by your district? If you don’t want to pass it as a board policy, tailor it to the format of a resolution or set of administrative regulations.

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