20 / 864
BULLYING,
HARASSMENT, AND
INTIMIDATION
Boards are required to adopt policies prohibiting bullying, violence within
a dating relationship, harassment, and intimidation of students, and
school employees are required to report such “prohibited incidents” to
the school principal or designee. The district administration is required
to report semiannually the number of all such incidents to the board of
education president and to post them on the district web site (if it has
one).
The policy must be included in student handbooks and in any
publication containing the student code of conduct.
3313.666
BULLYING,
HARASSMENT, AND
INTIMIDATION
TRAINING
To the extent that federal or state funds are appropriated for this special
purpose, districts will provide training to staff on bullying, harassment,
and intimidation and will educate students about this mandatory policy
prohibiting such incidents. Districts are also authorized to form bullying
prevention “task forces, programs, and other initiatives.”
3313.667
BUS DEPOTS
Boards of education may by resolution designate certain places as
depots from which to gather children for transportation to school when
such districts provide transportation. The places designated as depots
shall be provided with a shelter and be made comfortable during cold
and stormy weather.
3327.03
BUS DRIVERS’
CERTIFICATION
Superintendents are required to certify that bus drivers in local school
districts under their jurisdiction are 18 years of age, of good moral
character, and qualified physically and otherwise for the position. The
boards also shall provide for an annual physical examination of bus
drivers. (This certification and physical examination may be provided by
an educational service center under an agreement authorized by ORC
3313.843 or 3313.845.) Physical exams may be provided by a physician
licensed by another state or by an Ohio licensed nurse practitioner. A
driver’s complete driving record must be checked at least semi-annually.
Drivers are also required to have criminal records check through the FBI
and BCII upon employment and every six years thereafter. However, if
the driver has previously received a BCII background check and
presents proof of five years of continuous Ohio residency prior to the
date on which the person becomes subject to the background check,
then only the FBI screening is required.
3327.10
BUS DRIVER
REHABILITATION
If a bus driver’s background check indicates a potentially disqualifying
event, the driver may be eligible for employment if he or she meets the
rehabilitation standards prescribed for non-licensed staff members
under rule 3301-20-03 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
3327.10
OAC 3301-20-03
BUS LEASING TO
NONPUBLIC
SCHOOLS AN TO
SENIOR CITIZEN
ORGANIZATIONS
School districts are authorized to lease school buses to nonpublic
schools so long as the activities to be supported by the use of the school
buses would also be available to students in the public school district
leasing the bus.
School districts can also lease school buses to nonprofit senior citizen
organizations (or to governmental agency providing programming for
senior citizens). In such cases, the school district must purchase liability
and property insurance.
In both cases, the charges shall not exceed the actual cost of providing
the leased transportation.
3327.13
3327.14
BUS PURCHASES,
INSURANCE,
DRIVERS
Laws pertaining to bus purchases, insurance and driver qualifications
are found here. In particular, ORC Section 3327.10 provides that each
school bus or school van driver must have a certificate of operation,
specifying that the individual is at least 18 years of age, is of good moral
3327.08
to 3327.10