Safe Routes to Schools and SPPS
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SPPS’s Safe Routes to School program supports students walking, biking, and rolling to school and during the school day. Safe Routes programs bring many benefits, including cleaner air, less traffic, and healthier students that arrive at school ready to learn. Learn more about Safe Routes to School and how you can be involved.
Why Safe Routes to School?
Safe Routes programs help more kids walk and bike more and provide many benefits:
- Kids arrive ready to learn: Research shows that being active helps kids learn and improves academic achievement.
- Kids get more exercise: On average, students walking to and from school get 40 minutes of exercise. Kids ages 6 through 17 should get 60 minutes of exercise every day for a healthy mind and body.
- Air around schools is cleaner: More walkers and bikers at a school means less air pollution, according to the EPA. Cleaner air is better for all students, but especially for those with asthma.
- Safe Routes can help with climate change: According to the St. Paul Climate Action & Resilience Plan, travel is the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in St. Paul. More walking and biking and fewer car trips means less greenhouse gas emissions.
- Safe Routes can bring traffic calming to neighborhoods: The City of St. Paul and other road authorities support Safe Routes in St. Paul by making streets near schools calmer and safer for everyone.
- Safe Routes supports health for the whole community: Safe Routes to School is a CDC-designated Hi-5 program, which means it can make a positive health impact for a community in just five years.
Biking and Walking Resources for Families
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There are a number of resources available that can help provide instruction on safe biking and walking.
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Safe Biking
- The National Center for Safe Routes to School has also produced helpful tips for parents and caregivers about biking in English and Spanish:
- Seattle Children’s Hospital has tips on bike helmet fit in English and Spanish:
- Bike and Multi-Sport Helmets: Quick Fit Check
- Cascos para andar en bicicleta y para múltiples deportes: verificación rápida para el ajuste
- Be sure to do an ABC Quick Check to make sure your bike is safe and ready for riding, See this BikeMN description and/or this video from the Telegraph.
- View these bike education videos for elementary and middle school-aged children:
- Short video from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- The North Carolina Department of Transportation videos about safe cycling: including Getting Ready to Ride and Bike Basics.
- View these bike education videos for high school children (good refresher for adults, too!) from the Federal Highway Administration in English and Spanish.
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Safe Walking
- The National Center for Safe Routes to School has helpful tips for parents and caregivers about walking: Teaching Children to Walk Safely as They Grow and Develop.
- The North Carolina Department of Transportation has a series of child-friendly videos to build safe walking skills called Let’s Go Walking. Topics include:
- The City of St. Paul made a fun video for kids about safely crossing streets featuring Nordy and Mudonna (mascots for the Minnesota Wild and the Saint Paul Saints).
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Walking School Bus
How to Create a Walking School Bus
Studies show that fewer children are walking and biking to school, and more children are at risk of becoming overweight. Changing the behaviors of children and parents require creative solutions that are safe and fun. Implementing a walking school bus can be both. Check out some of our resources to starting your very own walking school bus.
Safe Routes to School Strategies at Your School
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Safe Routes uses the 6 E framework:
- Encouragement
- Education
- Engineering
- Evaluation
- Equity
- Enforcement
A successful SRTS program uses elements from each of these areas to build awareness and enthusiasm. Take a look through the next few sections to get ideas on what you can try at your school and which E they fall under.
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How to start a program at your school
Find support (PTOs/As, administrators, teachers, parents, family liaisons; also me).
Start small and build excitement
Work with your supporters to develop a long-term plan
More info:
Getting started on a Safe Routes program from the Minnesota Safe Routes to School Resource Center.
Steps to Creating a Safe Routes to School Program from the National Center for Safe Routes to School
Building Blocks: A Guide to Starting and Growing a Safe Routes to School Program from the Safe Routes to School Partnership
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How to Encourage Biking and Walking
Safe Routes to Schools encouragement strategies can take a wide variety of forms. Some of the most common strategies are organized events that help demonstrate the excitement and enthusiasm around biking and walking. SPPS has engaged in the following encouragement strategies:
- Bike rodeos
- Walk/Bike to School Day events
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Bicycle/Pedestrian Education
Required Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education
The State of Minnesota requires that school districts provide bicycle and pedestrian safety education within the first three weeks of school. All students in grades K-8 must receive pedestrian safety education, and all students in grades 4-8 must receive bicycle safety education. In September 2023, all SPPS families with students in elementary and middle school will receive bicycle and pedestrian safety education information via the Peachjar (SPPS’s digital flyer distribution system).
The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota has also pulled together videos, lesson plans, and other resources that help meet this requirement. Videos are also embedded below - these are a great resource for teachers and families to share with students.
Whether they are heading to school or getting around their neighborhoods, walking and biking are great ways for kids to be active and travel independently. Bicycle and pedestrian education helps students develop the skills they need to do so safely. This education also complements SPPS’s existing Safe Routes to School programming that happens throughout the school year, including in-school bike education with the SPPS bike fleet, training teachers in the Walk! Bike! Fun! curriculum, and Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day celebrations.
Pedestrian Safer Journey video for grades K-3
English: https://youtu.be/PzghGxEqBMQ
Spanish: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_scrCrsoY0
Pedestrian Safer Journey video for grades 4-8
English: https://youtu.be/E5BFdJu-pjE
Spanish: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgM7BQGtC-A
Bicycle Safer Journey video for grades 4-8
English: https://youtu.be/Y0l_uhsRKks
Spanish: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ni2phmwGRw
Bike to School video from Olmsted County for grades 4 to 8+
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Evaluation Strategies
When implementing the 6 E's, be sure to include evaluation. This element tells you what's working, what's not, and should act as an influence on future Safe Routes actions. Evaluation can take many forms:
- Surveys
- Pedestrian counts
- Focus groups
- Observational assessments
Evaluation helps to inform where you should direct your energy and helps to identify any challenges or barriers. These tools can also be used to engage students and the wider neighborhood.
SPPS Bike Fleet
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Did you know that SPPS has a mobile bicycle fleet? Forty-three bikes, that range in size, are available for schools to use for a physical education unit, bicycle rodeo, or a special classroom trip.
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Bike Fleet Reservation Information
Fleet reservation requests must be submitted two weeks in advance, however, we suggest submitting a request well in advance, as demand for the fleet is high and it tends to book quickly. Review the calendar below to check on the fleet's availability, then click on the link below to complete the reservation form or email Sarah.Stewart@spps.org to submit your request.
Staff who reserve the fleet must have some training on riding safely. One great option is to complete BikeMN's Walk! Bike! Fun! curriculum training, which now is partially online. Learn more and sign up at the Walk! Bike! Fun! website. Other training may qualify - check with Sarah Stewart about this (sarah.stewart@spps.org). Minneapolis Public Schools has put together a very thorough Walking & Biking Field Trip Guide. This resource offers how-to's on active transport field trips, along with basic walking and biking safety education, and additional considerations for successful walking or biking field trips.
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Safe Routes to School work in SPPS is funded by the Minnesota Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Program, SHIP, and Allina Health.
Contact
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SPPS works with several partners on Safe Routes, including St. Paul Public Works, the St. Paul Police Department, the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, and St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health, among others. Partners coordinate work through the Saint Paul Safe Routes to School Steering Committee.
Interested in learning more or getting support for your Safe Routes program? Contact Sarah Stewart, Safe Routes to School Lead, sarah.stewart@spps.org, 651-744-4188.
