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District clarifies preschool bus service: only students identified for special education receive transportation
Summary
The board heard administration clarify that transportation to preschool is provided only for students identified for special education services (ages 3–5). Peer-model preschoolers are not eligible for district bus service; continued transportation after age 6 depends on IEP determinations.
District administrators clarified policy and practice for preschool transportation after questions from the board.
Administration explained that transportation to preschool is provided when the child is identified as eligible for special-education services (typically ages 3–5) and that routes and vehicle assignments fluctuate as students gain or lose eligibility. For non-identified (peer-model) preschool students the district does not provide bus service. Once a child reaches school-entry age (about 6), continued specialized transportation depends on the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team determination. Administrators emphasized specialized routes are planned and resourced differently than general-purpose routes and that adding non-eligible riders to specialized routes would require new budget allocations and frequent service adjustments.
Board members asked for clarification about planning and the administrators reiterated that specialized preschool transportation is not a drop-in carpool-style service, but a planned service that changes as students enter and exit eligibility.
