commensurate with the services provided in your location. Long- term incentives should be well thought-out to reduce and elim- inate personnel shortages. Too many drivers that I have spoken with voiced their opinion that employers lack respect for the job that they are asked to do, when it comes to monetary compensation and benefit packages. This mes- sage should be heard shared and addressed in order to bring about needed change. Scrutinize school bus driver
and attendant training to ensure that drivers are provided the skills required to transport children with disabilities that they are asked to serve. A driver contacted me recently and said that he has never driven a special needs route and was assigned to do so with no advance notification because another driver called in sick prior to the route start time. He shared his concern that he was untrained and unqualified. I was flabbergast- ed by his situation. I did suggest that he put in writing to his supervisor that he considered it a safety hazard to drive children with special needs when he knows he is untrained and unqualified. Unfortunately, the response he received from his supervisor was less than suitable, and the driver chose to resign and look for another posi- tion. This is a sad reality that is important to disclose. Utilize all allowable school transportation options to
“[I]t is critical to review school district policies and procedures to ensure that there is no compromise when it comes to providing safe transportation and compliance with the IDEA, Section 504 and Title II requirements. Don’t wait until a problem arises.
-Linda F. Bluth Ed.D.
transportation director, for the first time, learned about the plan when copied in a message to principals and parents. I learned about this is- sue from a parent who called to ask for assistance. She stated that her child’s special education and related services compensatory plan could not be implemented, although it was already approved by the IEP team for this summer. The reason this occurred was
because there were no school bus drivers available to transport her child. The parent was told that the only way her child could receive compensatory services was if she provided the transportation her- self. She said this was not feasible. I was curious if transportation reimbursement was offered by the school district when she was asked to transport her child. She replied, “No.” Clearly this was in vi- olation of the IDEA requirement to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Fortunately, I was able to assist
her with receiving transportation services for her child and multiple problems were corrected. This blatant calamity of errors should never have occurred. When all is said and done, don’t underestimate the importance of having all of the required school district personnel work- ing together, prior to dissemination of the provision of compensatory special education and related services. It is critical to review school district policies and pro-
serve children with disabilities. One of the most recent positive options to address school transportation driver shortage challenges is legislation passed in a number of states allowing “Alternative School Transportation” as a vi- able solution for transporting children with disabilities. It is essential that this option be optimized in accordance with ensuring compliance with federal and state law. It is essen- tial that “Alternative School Transportation” makes certain that the same standards apply with respect to safety, IDEA, Section 504 and Title II compliance. It has been brought to my attention that when special
education personnel plan for students with disabilities and fail to communicate with transportation personnel, mishaps are more likely to occur. This summer, I became aware of a school district where compensatory services were to be provided to over 200 students in several dif- ferent school locations. When the compensatory services plan was shared and adopted for implementation, the
cedures to ensure that there is no compromise when it comes to providing safe transportation and compliance with the IDEA, Section 504 and Title II requirements. Don’t wait until a problem arises. Plan ahead by organiz- ing and synchronizing school district safe transportation and special needs transportation to avoid noncompli- ance. School transportation will not be exempt from serving children with disabilities in accordance with IDEA, Section 504 and Title II compliance requirements. Now is the time to assess all thinkable options to avoid having to address safety versus IDEA, Section 504 and Title II compliance federal and state complaints. ●
Linda F. Bluth, Ed.D., is an expert witness, tenured faculty member of the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs National Conference and a Hall of Fame member as well as past-president of the National Association for Pupil Transportation.
www.stnonline.com 19
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
