Portsmouth parent tells school board transportation breakdowns and IEP changes have disrupted special-needs student’s schooling

A Portsmouth parent told the Portsmouth City School Board on Oct. 23 that repeated failures in district-arranged transportation and an unexplained change to his son’s individualized education program have caused missed school days, family hardship and increased behavioral incidents.

In a public comment, Brian Jackson II said his son, Brian K. Jackson III, who is visually impaired, autistic and attends Plan B Academy, transferred into Portsmouth with a previously binding IEP that included a bus aide and that the aide and other supports were removed after the transfer. Jackson said he and his wife repeatedly had to transport their son when district transportation was not provided, citing multiple interruptions between mid-July and October that left the family exhausted and financially strained.

Jackson asked the board to “restore his IEP language regarding Brian’s difficulty in coping in structured situations,” reinstate the bus aide and resolve a reimbursement dispute for miles driven by the family when the district failed to provide transportation.

Why it matters: Jackson characterized the problems as ongoing noncompliance with his son’s IEP and said the lack of consistent transportation has produced emotional distress, missed work and schooling disruptions. He said the family has escalated the matter to the state superintendent’s office, the director of pupil transportation and the parent ombudsman for special education.

Details from the comment: Jackson said his son’s enrollment paperwork arrived June 30 and that the son’s first scheduled school day in Portsmouth was July 14. He said district-arranged transportation initially arrived as a third‑party car rather than a school bus, that drivers changed multiple times, and that several providers abruptly stopped providing service. Jackson said district staff cited budgeting and forecasting issues in an IEP meeting but provided no immediate remediation, backup plan, or clarity on reimbursement.

Board response and next steps: Jackson said he received contact from Dr. Sterling White during the week before the meeting to discuss why he brought the matter to the board. The transcript does not record a formal board reply during the public comment period. After the public comment segment, Vice Chair Atkinson moved, and the board later voted, to add a closed session for personnel matters; the board also later entered a closed meeting under the Code of Virginia to discuss personnel and receive legal advice (see separate articles on those actions).

What Jackson requested: restore previously documented supports in his son’s IEP, reinstate the bus aide, clarify and pay any reimbursement for time and mileage the parents lost while transporting their son, and provide a reliable transportation plan going forward.

Clarifying notes: Jackson said he believed reimbursement for his driving should include the effect on his and his wife’s work schedules and not be limited to “home-to-school and back” only. He also said that the district told the family that behavior was the cause of transport interruptions, while he asserted those behaviors result from disruption to previously structured supports. The transcript shows Jackson used approximate date references and described multiple service interruptions; it does not include a written district response or documentation of corrective actions.

Ending: Jackson concluded by asking the board to “put my son on a bus” and to ensure district compliance with his son’s IEP. The transcript records his public comment in full but does not record immediate formal board action beyond subsequent agenda items and a motion to add closed-session consideration of personnel matters.