ANALYSIS


Special Education Bus Service: Towards a Less-Restrictive Environment


By Pete Meslin For students with special needs all too often transportation options are extremely limited. If


transportation is required as a related service to access the educational program the student al- most always receives curb-to-curb (or curbside) bus service. Very few IEP teams request “regular” bus service and receive service on the “regular ed” bus at a neighborhood bus stop. Tis “all or nothing” pattern with regard to student transportation independence is both harmful to student development and contrary to the intent of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA stipulates all educational services for students with disabilities be provided in the least


restrictive environment. Transportation, as a related service, falls under this mandate. However, for most districts there are no transportation options other than the most restrictive service. If a student has special needs and requires bus service (s)he will have to ride the “small bus,” which is often the brunt of jokes. Tey make jokes about the “small bus,” but if your only option is to have a bus stop in front of your home, it probably isn’t a laughing matter. Compounding this vehicle issue are other factors that separate special ed bus service. For ex-


ample, the special ed buses may load and unload in separate zones. In fact, contrary to IDEA’s intent, students with special needs may actually attend school at different times than their non- disabled peers. We may not be able to control all of the aspects of a student’s educational service, but certainly we as transporters can take steps to teach students the independence skills necessary to receive other than curbside bus service. Special educators regularly adapt service levels based upon student skills and abilities. We can


provide similar flexibility by creating bus stops which aren’t in front of the home but provide transitional opportunities for the student to safely learn transportation-related skills. Instead of waiting for students to learn these life skills in adult transition programs, they can learn and prac- tice these skills as soon as they’re ready. Te skills and abilities vary widely, and we can match these with levels of service that are on a continuum. Te transitional bus stop provides access to the related service at a level the student is ready for. Tis type of bus stop, which can range anywhere from curbside to the neighborhood stop, can be adapted to the student’s abilities and evolve as the student is ready to progress. We say all students are required to be ready for the bus when it arrives; however, most districts do


not require students to wait at the stop if they have special needs. By moving the bus away from the front door, even one house away, the student can learn and practice the essential skill of waiting for the bus. Several other skills are also necessary to attain this level of independence. For example, this student might have to learn to get to the stop independently. Perhaps the parent can still observe from a window. Initially, parental support is still available but not as immediate as when the stop is directly in front of the house. Tis transitional stop is a change for the parent as well. Te parent becomes more and more of


a coach with regard to transportation-related skills rather than a provider. While the student is learning and practicing the new skills, the parent is learning how to support and reinforce those skills. Tis adjustment from doing to supporting is frequently more difficult for the parent than the student. However, as parents of every flavor and species have done for eons, parents of some students with disabilities must learn to free their child to grow. We, as educators, need to recognize the emotions that will surface for some parents. We need to be even more supportive during this separation process. Safety needs to be assured at every step. Te documentation for the skills which have been learned needs to be even more transparent and available. Tat is, we need to prove to the parent that the student is ready for the next level of independence.


42 School Transportation News Magazine February 2011


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