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Board told parent reports of fights over ESE transportation for students within 2-mile radius; staff says IEP committee decides transportation eligibility
Summary
A board member said a parent reported district staff refused to include transportation in an IEP for a student living within two miles; staff explained transportation is an IEP committee decision and said the district provides transportation when the IEP requires it, and offered to work with individual cases.
A board member raised a complaint that a parent reported resistance when seeking school bus transportation for a student with special needs who lives within a two-mile radius of the school.
The topic matters because transportation determinations for exceptional student education (ESE) students are made by IEP committees and affect access to school for students with disabilities.
"So I have 1. ESE and 2 mile radius of schools with kids that have special needs and not giving a bus. So I had a parent reach out that, apparently, it's a fight in refusing to put on IEP to give a child a bus," the board member said. District staff replied that, generally, if an IEP team determines transportation is required and documents it on the IEP, the district provides transportation. Staff acknowledged not every ESE student qualifies for transportation and said eligibility depends on the IEP team's decision and case specifics.
Board members said the process should not be adversarial and encouraged parents to bring individual cases to staff so the district can work through details. Staff suggested further training and review of specific cases as needed.
No formal policy change was voted on; staff urged the board member to refer the individual case to staff for follow-up.
