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Parent urges change to daughter's IEP and bus placement at Preston County Board meeting
Summary
A parent asked the Preston County Board of Education to change her daughter's IEP so the child can ride the regular bus without an aide or harness, citing three doctors' notes and long commute times; Superintendent Martin said staff will follow up and schedule a meeting to review the request.
Miss Bowen addressed the Preston County Board of Education on Aug. 25 to request a change to her daughter’s Individualized Education Program so the child may ride a regular bus with her siblings without an aide or a harness. “This came from her orthopedic doctor…a complex care physician, and an occupational doctor,” Bowen said, adding the three clinicians documented that her daughter no longer requires the restraint or an accompanying aide.
Bowen told the board her daughter has endured rides of 45 minutes to an hour and that parents must wait between buses to make sure the child arrives on time. Bowen said she previously provided the doctors’ notes to district staff and asked for meetings over the last two years without receiving a timely response.
Superintendent Martin acknowledged the request and the paperwork Bowen said she submitted. “I’ll reach out with a consultant from special education tomorrow, and we’ll see if we can get something scheduled to at least have a discussion in regards to your daughter’s situation,” Martin said. Chair Mister Tatum told Bowen she may continue attending board meetings until she receives the resolution she seeks and noted the board’s next meeting is Sept. 8.
Board members asked Bowen to document any personnel-related incidents she referenced and encouraged her to work with district special-education staff and administration to set a meeting. The board did not take formal action at the meeting; Martin’s commitment to schedule a special-education consult is the next procedural step.
The board may revisit the matter through district special-education processes or, if necessary, in an executive session if the discussion becomes personnel-specific.
