FIRST TAKE No Excuses WRITTEN BY RYAN GRAY
Department of Education. Still, I’ve heard estimates that as many as 80 percent of the 6.4 million are riding school buses. It is simply tricky to nail down an exact number because of the varying disabilities served, from cognitive to severely physical, and which students require special equipment that states are budgeted for providing. Additionally, many of these students are "mainstreamed" on regular-route buses. I have also not seen any hard data on parental complaints regarding school-bus service, but anecdotally I
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have heard they are up drastically. Just look online for articles on lawsuits brought by parents, or, at the very least, allegations of how reduced service has negatively impacted a student’s education. Certainly these issues have something to do with the historic problem of a limited number of transpor-
tation stakeholders at the IEP meeting. For as long as I’ve been reporting on this industry, a span that goes back to the turn of the century (wow, now that makes me feel old), the need for increased participation of student transporters in the IEP process has been sounded far and wide by industry experts. It’s not that most school bus professionals don’t want to be at the table. It’s just that transportation is too often an after- thought when it comes to special-education programs. Tat is, until things go sideways. Te Individuals with Disabilities Act, or IDEA, requires by the letter of federal law that all decisions
regarding a student’s Individualized Education Program, including related services to ensure the child’s free and appropriate public education (FAPE), must be jointly decided in concert with the parents during the IEP team meeting. Te key word in all of this is “team,” so it’s ridiculous that many school districts nationwide continue to make decisions on an IEP student’s related services, such as transportation, without the consult of an expert in said field. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education says as much. Predetermination, or making unilateral decisions
on a student’s related services without listening to parental input, is the big no-no in the special education world, but the practice continues at an alarming rate. Predetermination is exactly what you get when miss- ing key ingredients, such as transportation, in the IEP meeting. Making matters worse, the still-dreary fiscal landscape is bringing to light a shocking number of violations
perpetrated against students in the name of “we have no money, so...” I heard recently that some superinten- dents, who already don’t like spending on special education programs, are using sequestration as an excuse. Tis has been never more true since last spring when the federal sequester hit IDEA, Section 504, and other special-ed programs, to the tune of nearly $645 million. Despite a congressional deal at year’s end, those cuts won’t magically be replenished, especially as federal funding going forward is expected to be less than the FY 2012 level. Tat’s not to even mention what sequestration has done to Head Start, one of the hardest-hit federal programs, with nearly 60,000 students shut out. Administrative hearings — or worse, cases ruled on in court — as a result of alleged special-education law violations are on the rise, and more often than not the parents and students are winning. Tings will get even worse if school districts don’t get their collective act together. Te bottom line? Reducing services for students with IEPs is not an acceptable school district response. Te same goes for training dollars. Now more than ever it is imperative that school bus drivers, monitors, aides, dispatchers, mechanics, etc., be kept up to date on the latest innovations and best practices, such as those espoused at next month’s Transporting Students with Disabilities and Preschoolers National Conference. Student transportation is a higher calling, but it’s also a business. Cut corners, and the customers will take note. Do your absolute best to make sure yours remain satisfied by reducing your liability.
hile there are no hard numbers on how many students with IEPs ride the school bus, the National Center for Educational Statistics reports that more than 6.4 million students were served by IDEA, Part B during the 2011-2012 school year. But school-bus ridership is the only IDEA-related service that states are not required to provide data on to the U.S.
10 School Transportation News February 2014
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