Frequently Asked Questions

Walk zones are the areas around schools where no bus transportation is provided to students.

Recommended school walking routes will be measured up to a half of a mile (.5)  walking distance from the student’s residence to the entrance to the school grounds for elementary students. It will be measured up to one  (1) mile walking distance from the student's residence to the entrance to the school grounds for secondary (middle and high) school. 

Additionally, elementary students residing up to one-tenth (0.1) or secondary students residing up to two-tenths (0.2) of a mile beyond a designated walk route distance may also be incorporated into that walk route distance, if doing so is considered particularly cost effective and/or efficient for the school division (such as extending the walk route distance to the end of a street or eliminating a relatively isolated bus stop).

Transportation will continue to be provided in places where there is no safe walking path to school. Many of our schools are not suitable for walking.

Walk zones will be reviewed annually. If a situation changes, an area could move into, or out of, a walk zone. For example, if a road is under construction and there is no safe walking path, ACPS could provide a bus for the duration of the construction. 

Additionally, if sidewalks or other improvements are added to an area, it could become part of a walk zone in the future.

In the Fall of 2021, ACPS will enforce the walk zones at the following school locations: 

• Albemarle High School (increasing)
• Henley Middle School
• Lakeside Middle School (increasing)
• Western Albemarle High School

These schools already have enforced walk zones: 

• Albemarle High School
• Hollymead Elementary School
• Lakeside Middle School
• Monticello High School
• Woodbrook Elementary School

Staff will continue to review school walk zones and additional schools could see walk zone enforcement in the Spring of 2021 or the Fall of 2022. 

After that, staff will review walk zones annually for safety. In the future, families will be notified by June of a school year of any changes to be implemented the following school year.

Sidewalks, paths, or walkways do not have to be man made. Grass with a suitable base is considered appropriate in residential areas. Established walk route criteria permits students to walk in residential areas along and across streets with or without sidewalks and crosswalks. Recommended walking paths are located on the website. The safety of all walking paths are evaluated with the understanding that the parent/guardian (or other adult) will provide age-appropriate supervision for their student(s). 

Contact the Transportation Department if you have questions about your recommended walking path.

Staff reviewed walking paths using a combination of established evaluation criteria from Safe Routes to Schools and other school divisions in the state. Staff also coordinated with ACPD to review the recommendations.

School walk zones were reviewed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of school bus assets. The Transportation Department faces an on-going staffing issue that has been an even bigger challenge during COVID. Increasing walk zones allows us to pull buses off of the road and improve service in other areas, particularly for students who live the farthest away from school and do not have an option to walk.

Transportation policies include EEA, Student Transportation Services; EEAB, School Bus Scheduling and Routing; and JEG, Exclusions and Exemptions of School Attendance which allows for 1 mile walk zones for students under the age of 10 and for 1.5 mile walk zones for students aged 10 and older per Va. Code 22.1-254.

ACPS will provide transportation to any student eligible for qualifying services or accommodations, as defined in regulation EEA, Student Transportation Services. It is also established in Va. Code 22.1-221.