Exception Request Process

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The Exception Request form for the 2023-24 school year is now OPEN.

If your student was an Exception Rider last year and would like to keep riding the bus, then you need to fill out another Exception Request. The requests no longer carry over year-to-year. The form needs to be resubmitted every year your student would like a ride.

Guidelines

The parents/guardians of students who currently do not meet the eligibility criteria for school transportation can submit an exception request online through Parent Portal. Approval of exception requests is granted if the following criteria are met:

Student(s) must be enrolled in Denver Public Schools
A current route and existing stop are available

Note: No route modifications or stop additions will be made to accommodate an exception request

A seat is available on the vehicle assigned to service the route

Exceptions will be granted for one destination, five days per week, consistently.
- If the transportation exception request is for home-to-school and school-to-home transportation, but excess capacity exits to approve only one or the other, parents/guardians will be contacted by a member of the Routing Department to confirm whether a one-way transportation exception approval is desired or whether the request should be denied entirely.
Students will be placed at the closest existing stop according to the student address. New stops will not be created.
- If the closest existing stop according to the student address is not desirable, the parent should identify the requested stop location on the transportation exception request form.
The parent accepts responsibility to supervise and transport the student to or from the stop. This includes the responsibility to make alternate arrangements for meeting and supervising the student when the vehicle is delayed or when the parent cannot be present at the time the student is returned to the stop.

Exception Request Criteria

Families wanting to apply for an Exception Requests should only do so if their student(s) meets the following criteria:

Students who are not eligible for transportation because they live inside of the “Walk Zone” of their boundary school that they are attending.
Students who would like to request a different stop from the one that was assigned to them by Transportation Services.
Students in grades 9-12, who would like to opt-out of using their DPS RTD pass and ride a yellow school bus instead.
Students who “Choice” into a school outside of their designated attendance area.
Grandfathered students whose siblings are transportation-eligible students serviced by a third-party vendor.

Who to Contact

Any questions regarding the Exception Request process can be submitted via email, Our routing team is also available via phone at 720-423-4600.

Email Transportation

How to Submit

Exception Requests will only be accepted via the online form located in the Parent Portal. (NO PAPER FORMS WILL BE ACCEPTED)

Once logged in, the Exception Request form can be found under the Quick Links section of the Transportation Services page.
All requests will be processed on a first-come, first-serve basis, and families will be notified of the approval or denial of the request via the email address provided.

Log into the Parent Portal

Exception Request Tutorial

Reminders

We would like to remind all families that completing the Exception Request Process does not guarantee service for your student.

If your student was an Exception Rider last year and would like to keep riding the bus, then you need to fill out another Exception Request. The requests no longer carry over year-to-year. The form needs to be resubmitted every year your student would like a ride.

Because of guidelines provided by our contract services, siblings of special needs students will no longer be able to ride in a vendor’s vehicle. We will still consider an Exception Request for siblings of special needs students who ride the yellow bus.

Transportation Exception Status Changes

A transportation exception can be rescinded for the following reasons:

Seating on the vehicle is required for eligible students.
Existing stop is eliminated.
Student conduct on the vehicle becomes unsafe and jeopardizes safety of himself/herself and others.

If rescinding a student’s ride becomes necessary, the application date will be used to determine the order of rescission beginning with the most recently approved date. In other words, the last student exception approved will be the first to be rescinded. The parent or guardian of the affected student will be notified by DPS Transportation Services of the effective date of the change per the contact information provided and listed in IC.