Transporting Students with Disabilities Conference Snap Shots

Edupro Group this week posts photos from the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Pre-Schoolers conference earlier this year. View the full gallery for photos from the child restraint workshop, EXPO, securement training and welcome party.

Fully Federally Funded IDEA on the Way?

Rep. John Kline yesterday introduced a bill that would fully fund IDEA. According to the blog Disability Scoop, when Congress initially passed legislation mandating educational services for students with disabilities the federal government committed to provide 40 percent of its cost, but in reality the federal government provides less than 20 percent. Kline said:

“For far too long, our nation’s schools have been waiting patiently for Congress to fulfill its promise to fully fund special education ... By fully funding special education, we would free up desperately needed funds schools across America could use to address their specific needs – whether it is state of the art classrooms, additional teachers or new textbooks.”

Special Needs Students Bullied, Left Out, Study Finds and Much More

Special needs students are left out and bullied more often than their peers, the Medical University of South Carolina concluded. Of note for the school bus community this comment from lead author Kimberly Twyman, M.D., MUSC Department of Pediatrics: "It is essential that parents, educators, and clinicians regularly ask children with special needs about their social experiences and reassure them that any problems will be effectively addressed." What are you doing for the special needs students on your bus to make sure they are not bullied?

What's the difference between "special needs" and and "disabled"? A mother of one boy says its more than just words. Food for thoughts. Comments posting are worth browsing through, too.

We've talked about swine flu and schools, but what about special needs children? The New York Times reports.

In Cleveland, doctors and lawyers are teaming up to help special needs children. According to the article, the city has a slightly higher than average portion of students receiving IEP services, but many parents are intimidated by the system. How's the school transportation community teaming to help students? How could it do it better?

The Supreme Court last week heard arguments about whether public schools should pay for educating special needs students in private schools. The Baltimore Sun offers one of several editorials on the issue, concluding:

... funding special education will remain a problem until some form of comprehensive education reform is enacted. Private institutions will never be able to make up for the failures of large numbers of public school special-ed programs that don't work. What's needed are across-the-board improvements in public education that also include raising the quality of instruction and services offered to children with special needs.

When Should Public Schools Pay for Private Schools for Special Needs Students?

The Supreme Court will look at this question and just what providing a "free and appropriate education" means, the Washington Post reports. Per usual, no specific discussion of transportation in this well worth reading article, but one can imagine the cost of transportation would add to the lengthy bill of service.

Tips for First IEP Meeting

Today Special Needs Bliss offers its tips for parents attending their first IEP meeting. Nothing too shocking here. The list recommends parents make sure all parties are in attendance, write down any questions, know their rights and "not feel bad about having to stand up for your child's rights."

This will be an ongoing question for Special Needs Rides, but what do you see as the essential tips for transporters attending their first IEP meeting?

Also online this week:

• The Notebook argues Pennsylvania needs a new funding system for educating students with disabilities.
• Two takes on changes coming to special needs schools in New Jersey's Cumberland county.
  
• And a one-of-a-kind Autism program in Delaware draws praise, but faces challenges.
  

What Are Your Emergency Plans for Special Needs Riders and More Headlines

• We've already talked a bit about how you can prepare for evacuations and emergencies. But have you considered the evacuation needs of your special needs riders? Several elements of Santa Rosa County, Fla., government are working together to better care for special needs residents in emergencies. A computerized mapping system will replace a semi-manual paper system to provide valuable data. How could your department incorporate computerized records for its emergency preparedness?
• On the data collection note, Louisiana Department of Education received a $4 million grant to improve its information systems. Part of that means creating "three new, stand-alone data systems for the purpose of tracking homeless students, students with disabilities and critical student performance measures."
  
• School choice can mean more busing. In an op-ed, the Utica Observer Dispatch argues privately-run charter schools, including special needs schools, offer better choices for all. "No business or institution worth its salt should fear competition. Instead, public school educators should view charter schools as an opportunity to strengthen their own approaches and programs," the piece argues.
  
• The Austin Statesman looks at a program that mainstreams special needs students that is at risk of closing. Loud arguing about the value of this sort of program and taxation follows below in the comment section.
  
• A Tribute to Teachers and Paraprofessionals of Students with Special Needs. This poem's for you.

Special Needs Headlines: DC to OK to UK

• Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spells out preferred use of education stimulus aid. Here for program-specific guidelines.
  
• A North Carolina special needs department explains its budget woes.
• Educators in England call for change to special needs policy.
• An Oklahoma bill would require more expedient IEP-evaluations.