Transportation
When transporting your child to and from school, their safety and well-being is our #1 priority.
Who Receives Transportation Services?
Residents
Saint Paul Public Schools provides free busing to all students who live within the school district boundaries. Transportation is not provided to students who live within the walking zone of the school.
Non-Residents
A resident student who moves to a location outside of Saint Paul and who wishes to continue at the school attended must apply under the Enrollment Options Program (Open Enrollment). A student residing outside of Saint Paul is not eligible for transportation without an approved Open Enrollment agreement.
Transportation service is provided for non-resident students attending a Saint Paul Public School under one of the Minnesota Enrollment Options Programs (Open Enrollment), foundation aids exchange, or other program for which transportation is authorized in Minnesota Statutes. Transportation is provided from stops that are within the attendance area of the school but not within the walking zone of the school. Parents or guardians are responsible for supervising the student while traveling to and from the school bus stop.
For more information about open enrollment, contact the SPPS Student Placement Center at 651-632-3760 or visit spps.org/apply.
Important Transportation Information
- Families will receive a postcard in the mail with transportation information at the end of August. If your child rides the school bus, you’ll receive the bus stop, pick-up and drop-off times. This postcard will also include information if your child walks to and from school, or uses Metro Transit at participating high schools.
- If your family moved over the summer, update your address at the Campus Parent portal.
- If you believe your student is taking the bus but did not receive a postcard at the end of August, please call your child's school.
- Please arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to pick up your child.
- Track the status of your child’s bus on your school’s website or the Bus Status app.
- For your up-to-date bus pick-up and drop-off times, log on to your Campus Parent account and click on the Transportation tab.
- Pre-K students cannot be dropped off without a parent/legal guardian or an older sibling present. This procedure is specific to Pre-K students. Any student older than Pre-K can be dropped off without a parent/legal guardian or older sibling present as long as they are comfortable and familiar with their stop.
LNFI Arrival
School begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m. Students may enter the school at 9:15 am and not prior. Please, never leave your child unattended. We do not have staff available prior to 9:15, and front office doors will not be open prior to 9:15.
LNFI Dismissal
For students going home on the bus:
The classroom teacher or another staff member will make sure each child gets on the correct bus at the end of the day. It is important that the bus tag we gave students on the first day stays on their back pack as reference for any staff member and bus drivers.
For students that are picked up by parents:
Parents/guardians should line up their cars on Ames Place. Please have your child(ren)'s name(s) shown on the window on a piece of paper in large letters and stay in your car as you wait in line. When it is your turn to pull up in front of the school, a staff member will bring your child(ren) to your car. As the car line advances, please stay in line and wait for the car in front to leave. Do NOT pass cars as that is dangerous.
For students walking home:
Elementary school students (PreK-5) who live less than a half-mile from school have the option of walking to and from school with a staff member. Walkers will meet at the front door where a staff member will help students safely cross the street and get to their home.
End-of-Day Changes
If you know that your child's dismissal transportation will be different, you must CALL (not email) the office before 3:00 pm. We cannot honor changes after 3:00 pm unless it is an emergency. Our school office number is 651-744-6970.
Download the Bus Status App
The Bus Status app reports buses greater than 10 minutes late and displays up-to-date bus information for SPPS families and students. Download the Bus Status app for free at the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Questions?
If you have questions about your bus route number, you can call:
If you have any questions about the SPPS Transportation Department, visit their website here.