The Coronado Unified School District is considering a new policy mandating training for students planning to bring e-bikes to school.
On Oct. 15, the governing board did its first reading of Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5142.04: Bicycles and E-bikes. According to Superintendent Karl Mueller, district staff will give a presentation at the next board meeting when trustees will vote on adopting the policy.
According to a district report, the new policy would establish guidelines promoting safe and sustainable transportation, while maintaining a secure environment for the school community.
As of October, it is unclear when CUSD will begin issuing permits. The district did not specify when its e-bike safety training will launch, whether it will grant a transition period, which training program it plans to rollout or how students may complete it.
“This is a high community interest piece for all of us who understand that safe passage to schools is a shared responsibility and it’s something that we want to make sure that we are providing our parents and our students with,” said Mueller. “Not only education and resources, but aligning our efforts with the City of Coronado and the Coronado Police Department.”
CUSD e-bike permit
If approved, the policy would require middle and high school students to apply and be approved for a permit before bringing the electronic device onto district property.
The regulation states students would obtain a permit after successful completion of a district-approved e-bike safety education program followed by submitting a permit application.
Students who arrive at school on e-bikes without permits cannot bring them on district property, according to the regulation, and their parent/guardian will be contacted for its removal.
In alignment with the city’s municipal code, the district said it prohibits students under 12 years of age from operating an e-bike, e-moto, e-scooter or e-board on school property at all times.
Although CUSD students 12 years and older may bring an e-bike on campus, the district encourages all grade levels to ride bicycles to school.
According to the regulation, students riding bicycles or e-bikes to school shall:
- Wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet while operating a bicycle or e-bike
- Walk bicycles and e-bikes once entering school grounds unless otherwise directed by school staff
- Park bicycles and e-bikes only in designated bicycle parking areas
- Secure bicycles and e-bikes with a personal lock. The district is not responsible for theft or damage to personal property
- Apply for and affix a CUSD-issued bicycle permit sticker to all e-bikes.
- Operate bicycles and e-bikes in accordance with California bicycle laws and the city code.
The district, according to the policy, has the right to suspend or revoke these e-bike privileges if a student violates expectations.
The district is permitted to suspend or revoke a student’s e-bike privileges based on conduct committed by students outside school property, such as going to and from school, it continues.
The policy prohibits students from charging e-bike batteries as well as riding e-bikes or bicycles on campus unless authorized by the principal.
To enforce the policy, the district has progressive interventions in response to violations beginning with verbal warning and education.
During board discussion trustee Fitzhugh Lee said he and trustee Renee Cavanaugh, as part of the district’s 2×2 Committee (comprised of two City Council members, two CUSD trustees, the city manager, and the superintendent), will work with the city on this issue.
Trustee Alexia Palacios-Peters said she was impressed with the team who worked on the policy.
“I just urge parents, students, people in the community to read this,” she said “Please let us know if you have any thoughts, because next month we’re gonna bring this up for potential approval.”
In other matters:
- The Coronado School of the Arts (CoSA) Foundation presented its 2026 annual donation to the Coronado Unified School District totalling $200,000.
- According to a report on Oct. 15, Village Elementary School students can now choose whichever zone they want during recess, removing the use of controversial bracelets that restricted them to specific areas.
- Lee requested an information report, placed ideally in November, on how district athletic fields are allocated for school related activities.
- The board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of a school principal in closed session. On Oct. 18, the district issued a statement disclosing that Peter Kuhns resigned from his position of principal at Village Elementary School for personal and family reasons. Donna Tripi will continue to serve as Interim Principal, and staff and families will be notified of any future updates, the statement said.
The next regular board meeting is set for 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12 at the district office.
