MAILBAG
LETTER OFTHE (FEDERAL) LAW As one of the state delegates at the 15th annual Congress on School
Transportation, I am concerned with the impression that your article gives [“2010 NCST Ends with Cordial Compromises, Additions,” page 20, July issue]. Te article leads individuals to believing that this Congress changed the law by modifying the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Tat is not what this Congress did! Fact is we were working on a recommendation to a recommended Transportation Standards document. Fact is public school transportation departments, nor contract busing companies are required to meet McKinney–Vento Assistance Act, state and local school districts are. State and local schools districts MAY choose to require their transportation providers to provide this service or they MAY choose to find other means of transportation to met their lawful requirements. To put the word SHALL into a document that is a recommendation, seems short-sighted at best. Just my take on it. Tank you.
Jeff Lambert, Transportation Director Chino Valley (Ariz.) Unified School District #51 It is unfortunate that the policies of the McKinney-Vento Act have been
misquoted in the recently adopted amendments to the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures. Under the McKinney-Vento Act, school districts must keep homeless children and youth in their school of origin, if it is in their best interest, and if it is what their parents or guard- ians wish. Once it has been determined that staying in the school of origin is in a child’s best interest, school districts are required to provide transpor- tation to and from the school of origin. While the determination of best interest is a case-by-case, child-centered, and individualized decision, the requirement to transport is unambiguous and unqualified; indeed, the law states that “Te State and its local educational agencies will adopt policies and practices to ensure that transportation is provided.” Te word “may” does not appear in this provision; therefore, it is not at a school district’s discretion whether or not to provide transportation to the school of origin. If a homeless child is continuing his or her education in the school of origin, transportation is a clear, specific requirement of law. Tese policies are essential to ensure educational stability for children
whose lives have been turned upside down by homelessness. In a sea of cha- os and uncertainty, school is a safe, stable haven where homeless children and youth can receive critical services, attention from caring adults, and the opportunity to receive the education that can lift them out of poverty. Keeping students in their school of origin has been shown to increase stan- dardized test scores, and even increase school funding — one school district saw its per pupil reimbursement increase $1.6 million in one school year. Te NCST amendment may have been an attempt to simplify a nuanced
federal policy, but leaving it as currently worded will lead to confusion, at best. At worst, this mischaracterization of federal law can lead to compli- ance problems and pull the rug out from underneath children for whom school transportation is a lifeline. While we applaud NCST for its attention to homeless children and youth, we urge NCST to revisit this amendment and bring it fully in line with the language of the law.
Barbara Duffield, Policy Director
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Washington, D.C.
10 School Transportation News Magazine October 2010
Oct10_STN.indb 10 9/14/10 12:17 PM Printed in the U.S.A Publication Mail Agreement No. 40065374
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Station A, PO Box 54 Winsor, ON N9A 6J5
5334 Torrance Blvd., 3rd Floor, Torrance, CA 90503 Tel: 310/792-2226 Fax: 310-792-2231
www.stnonline.com
Publisher: Tony Corpin Editor: Ryan Gray Creative Director: Vince Rios
Senior Editor: Stephane Babcock Senior Designer: Kim Freiburger Editorial Assistant: Janna Smeltzer
Contributing Editors:
Linda Bluth, Peggy Burns, Michelle Fisher, Lisa Hudson, Dick Fischer, Denny Coughlin, Ned Einstein, Glen Moyer, Art Gissendaner
Vice President: Colette Paul General Manager: Branden Smeltzer Ad Sales: Tony Corpin Circulation: Andrea Hernandez
Chairman of the Board: Bill Paul, STN Media Group Editorial Advisory Board:
Denny Coughlin, Consultant; Judith Dupille, Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles; Dick Fischer, Trans-Consult; Ron Love, Delaware DOE; Randy McLerran, Oklahoma DOE; Pete Meslin, Newport-Mesa Unified; Nancy Netherland, Migrant- Seasonal Head Start; Robert Pudlewski, Consultant; Alexandra Robinson, NAPT; Launi Schmutz, Washington County Schools
How to Write or E-mail STN
School Transportation News welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and are subject to editing for grammar, style and space. Submissions must be legible, include a signature, job title/employer name, valid mailing and/or e-mail address, and telephone number. Unsigned letters or letters signed only with a pseudonym or initials will not be used. Email letters to:
stephane@stnonline.com or
ryan@stnonline.com or send via U.S. Post to: School Transportation News P.O. Box 789, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
School Transportation News Magazine is published by:
The views and opinions in SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION NEWS are those of the editorial staff. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the members of the Editorial Advisory Board or their organizations. Individuals serving on the board are advisors only and are not responsible for the editorial content.
For permission to reuse materials in this publication contact STN editor Ryan Gray, at
ryan@stnonline.com, or by phone at 310/792-2226 or by fax at 310- 792-2231. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without written permission.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88