SPECIAL NEEDS SPECIAL NEEDS TRANSPORTATION ISSUES TRANSPORTATION ISSUES

JULY, 2009JULY, 2009CASE CONFERENCECASE CONFERENCE

Cathy StaggsCathy Staggs

State Department of EducationState Department of Education

Pupil TransportationPupil Transportation

ctstaggs@bellsouth.netctstaggs@bellsouth.net

CURRENT ISSUESCURRENT ISSUES

TIME ON THE BUSTIME ON THE BUS

– Special needs routes must be in “balance” Special needs routes must be in “balance” with regular bus routeswith regular bus routes

– Long rides can be seen as “punishment” for Long rides can be seen as “punishment” for special needs studentsspecial needs students

– Must keep up with how long it takes to get Must keep up with how long it takes to get each student to/from schooleach student to/from school

– May require changing sites for low-incidence May require changing sites for low-incidence populations to more central locationspopulations to more central locations

– May require adding bus routes (vehicle, May require adding bus routes (vehicle, personnel, fuel, etc.)personnel, fuel, etc.)

LENGTH OF LENGTH OF SCHOOL DAY SCHOOL DAY

– FAPE issueFAPE issue– Must meet requirements for full Must meet requirements for full

school day, as with regular ed. school day, as with regular ed. students, unless otherwise stated on students, unless otherwise stated on the IEPthe IEP

– IEP must designate what is best for IEP must designate what is best for the the childchild, not what is best for , not what is best for transportationtransportation

TRAINING OF TRAINING OF PERSONNELPERSONNEL

– Drivers/attendants of students with special Drivers/attendants of students with special needs must be trained on more than just needs must be trained on more than just the mechanical aspects of their rolethe mechanical aspects of their role

– Using their “best judgment” is not enoughUsing their “best judgment” is not enough– Needs indicated on the IEP must be shared Needs indicated on the IEP must be shared

and explained, with appropriate trainingand explained, with appropriate training– Must understand roles and responsibilities, Must understand roles and responsibilities,

as well as Board policies and procedures as well as Board policies and procedures (i.e., pick-up points, following behavior (i.e., pick-up points, following behavior management plans, reporting safety issues) management plans, reporting safety issues)

IEP - Transportation as a IEP - Transportation as a Related ServiceRelated Service

Does the student require transportation as a Does the student require transportation as a related service? (YES or NO)related service? (YES or NO)

Does the student need accommodations or Does the student need accommodations or modifications for transportation? (YES or NO)modifications for transportation? (YES or NO)

If yesIf yes, check any transportation , check any transportation accommodations/modifications that are needed.accommodations/modifications that are needed.– Bus driver is aware of student’s behavioral Bus driver is aware of student’s behavioral

and/or medical concernsand/or medical concerns– Wheelchair liftWheelchair lift– Restraint systemRestraint system

SpecifySpecify (car seat, (car seat, seatbelt, seatbelt, safety vest/harness, safety vest/harness, etc.) etc.)

– OtherOther Specify Specify (bus attendant, nurse, oxygen tank, service (bus attendant, nurse, oxygen tank, service

animal, etc.)animal, etc.)

IEP – Nonacademic and IEP – Nonacademic and Extracurricular ActivitiesExtracurricular Activities

Will the student have the opportunity to Will the student have the opportunity to participate in participate in nonacademic/extracurricular activities nonacademic/extracurricular activities with his/her nondisabled peers?with his/her nondisabled peers?– Yes.Yes.– Yes, with supports. Yes, with supports.

Describe:______________________________Describe:______________________________– No. Explanation must be No. Explanation must be

provided:______________________________provided:______________________________

SEXUAL HARASSMENT/SEXUAL HARASSMENT/BULLYINGBULLYING

Special needs students often victimsSpecial needs students often victims Bus personnel need training on Bus personnel need training on

observing, recognizing, preventing, observing, recognizing, preventing, managing and reporting sexual managing and reporting sexual harassment and abuseharassment and abuse

Video cameras are good aide in Video cameras are good aide in analyzing behavior incidentsanalyzing behavior incidents

ExamplesExamples

EXTENT OF SCHOOL EXTENT OF SCHOOL DISTRICT DUTYDISTRICT DUTY

Not required to prevent Not required to prevent allall harm to harm to students on school buses, BUTstudents on school buses, BUT

Must prevent Must prevent foreseeableforeseeable harm harm

““When a district or bus company has reason When a district or bus company has reason to predict harm which it has a good chance to predict harm which it has a good chance of minimizing with the use of reasonable of minimizing with the use of reasonable methods, the law requires the district or methods, the law requires the district or company to take the necessary action.” company to take the necessary action.” (Peggy Burns, Education Compliance Group)(Peggy Burns, Education Compliance Group)

GETTING INFORMATION GETTING INFORMATION TO THE RIGHT PEOPLETO THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Foreseeable ---- CommunicationForeseeable ---- Communication FERPA allows for such FERPA allows for such

communicationcommunication

““When school district personnel have When school district personnel have information that would put them on information that would put them on notice of the potential for harm in the notice of the potential for harm in the absence of action, they need to be sure absence of action, they need to be sure they communicate that information to they communicate that information to the very people most likely to be able to the very people most likely to be able to act to prevent or stop the harm.” (P.B.)act to prevent or stop the harm.” (P.B.)

USING CSRS’sUSING CSRS’sPRIOR TO USE:PRIOR TO USE: Should be discussed in IEP meetingShould be discussed in IEP meeting Based on individual child’s needsBased on individual child’s needs Explore alternativesExplore alternatives Documentation of attempts to use other Documentation of attempts to use other

methods to manage situationmethods to manage situation Documentation of imminent danger without Documentation of imminent danger without

restraintrestraint Careful consideration of type of restraintCareful consideration of type of restraint Inclusion of appropriate staff in decision-making Inclusion of appropriate staff in decision-making

(i.e., Transportation staff, PT’s, OT’s, other (i.e., Transportation staff, PT’s, OT’s, other specialists)specialists)

Training of those responsible for installation, Training of those responsible for installation, securement, inspection, etc.securement, inspection, etc.

Plan for evaluating success/safety concernsPlan for evaluating success/safety concerns

TIMINGTIMING

Implementation of process takes Implementation of process takes TIMETIME

Law allows for “reasonable” time Law allows for “reasonable” time to begin serviceto begin service

Keep the “horse before the cart”Keep the “horse before the cart”

2009 CLASSES2009 CLASSES

ReviewReview– Special Ed. lawSpecial Ed. law– IEP processIEP process– Best practices Best practices

(loading/unloading, transporting (loading/unloading, transporting preschoolers, length of preschoolers, length of ride/length of school day, etc.)ride/length of school day, etc.)

– Evacuating the special needs busEvacuating the special needs bus

2009 CLASSES (cont.)2009 CLASSES (cont.)

– Standard precautionsStandard precautions– Student behavior managementStudent behavior management– FERPA/ConfidentialityFERPA/Confidentiality– Areas of DisabilityAreas of Disability– Wheelchair securementWheelchair securement

2009 CLASSES (cont.)2009 CLASSES (cont.)

Evacuating the special needs busEvacuating the special needs bus– Evacuation drills required 2x’s/year (once each Evacuation drills required 2x’s/year (once each

semester)semester)– Planning required for safely evacuating each Planning required for safely evacuating each

student in 2 minutes or lessstudent in 2 minutes or less– May need help from other IEP team members to be May need help from other IEP team members to be

successfulsuccessful– Driver and aide work together to develop Driver and aide work together to develop written written

plansplans Properly securing a wheelchairProperly securing a wheelchair

– All w/c’s facing forwardAll w/c’s facing forward– 4 tie-downs, lap and shoulder belt system required4 tie-downs, lap and shoulder belt system required

THANKS!THANKS!

ctstaggs@bellsouth.netctstaggs@bellsouth.net