8606 - TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Transportation and bus behavior are normally an integral part of the student's program. Because of the significance of this service for maintaining effective programs for the variety of disabling conditions, the Director of Pupil Services should be involved with the IEP team to assist in providing answers to such questions as:
Can the child be transported safely, given the transportation environment and the nature of the disabling condition?
What medical, health, physical, or behavioral factors could expose the student to unreasonable risk, given the anticipated transportation environment?
What assistive or adaptive equipment is necessary to accommodate the student during the transportation process, can it be safely transported and secured, and are there adequate instructions to ensure its proper use?
As participants in and recipients of special education planning, transportation staff need to be advised that the information they deal with is confidential and protected by Federal law.
BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT
Managing student behavior on the bus should be done primarily through teaching appropriate bus-riding skills. Learning the skills necessary to ride the school bus is part of the skills needed for the student to participate in the student's educational program.
To teach bus-riding skills, transportation staff will collaborate with school staff to proactively address student behavior and provide the necessary supports to the student. For example, portions of the student's Individual Education Program (IEP) and/or Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) may address behavior on the bus. Transportation staff may be required to implement portions of the IEP and/or BIP related to the provision of supplementary aids and services, safety equipment, and behavior modifications and supports.
Behaviors that present a danger to the student or others require special attention. An attack on another person or running from the bus are two (2) examples of dangerous behaviors that present high risk of harm and require documentation and follow-up with appropriate school staff.
Any use of seclusion or physical restraint in response to student behavior on the bus must adhere to Board Policy 5630.01 - Use of Seclusion and Physical Restraint with Students.
Communication Between School/Transportation Staffs
- Both the school staff and the transportation staff are expected to maintain confidentiality and protect the students' rights. Except for positive statements, information given by the drivers to the building staff should not be relayed to the student; nor should drivers relay information received from the building staff. Bus behavior should never be a subject of general conversation.
- Communication with parents is encouraged, particularly positive comments that are honest and sincere. It is important to develop means to maximize this effort.
Alternate Transportation
In the event a student has demonstrated severe behavior problems at school and cannot be adequately brought under control for the ride home, the student is not to be placed on the bus. The student is to remain at school and the parents called to transport the student home. If the parent cannot provide transportation, alternate means are to be provided. (It is important to keep in mind that alterations in transportation may be considered a change in placement.)
Suspension from Transportation
- Students may be suspended from transportation, in accordance with District policies and guidelines related to suspension of disabled students.
- When a student's behavior is unmanageable in spite of behavior management techniques, the suspension procedure may be initiated. This procedure may be initiated as a natural consequence of inappropriate behavior: to protect the student, other students, the driver or District equipment, or to provide time to help the student make the adjustment to transportation services.
Restoration of Riding Privileges
If a student is suspended from transportation, a meeting will be held prior to the student's resuming transportation.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT USE AND OPERATION
There is a wide variety of equipment that may need to be used to accommodate the District's students with disabilities. The Director of Pupil Services is responsible for ensuring that appropriate members of the transportation staff understand the design and operating procedures for special equipment assigned to their use. They should also be able to conduct a proper inspection of the equipment and make simple adjustments in the field in case of breakdowns.
MEDICAL/HEALTH CONCERNS
It may be necessary for members of the transportation staff to be able to provide emergency and routine health care to students during the transportation process.
Precautionary Procedures
All members of the transportation staff should be able to use standard precautions relative to the handling of and exposure to communicable disease. Such precautions would include but not be limited to:
characteristics of common communicable diseases;
techniques for managing such common diseases;
use of protective equipment and devices.
Care, Intervention, and Management
Staff members need to be able to implement any care plans developed during the IEP process to deal with special health risks, such as medically fragile, technology-dependent, and/or highly-disruptive students.
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