What are Transportation Services for Students in Special Education?

Introduction

If transportation is required for the child to benefit from the special education program, transportation shall be written in the individual educational program and provided at no cost to the parent. A district may not require that a parent provide transportation; however, if both parties agree that the parent will provide the transportation, it shall be noted on the individual educational program and the parent shall be reimbursed by the district.

Transportation includes travel to and from school and between schools; travel in and around school buildings; and specialized equipment if necessary. If a student’s disability creates unique needs that make it especially problematic to get the student to school in the same manner that a nondisabled student would get to school in the same circumstances, then transportation may be an appropriate related service. However, if a student with a disability is capable of using the same transportation services as nondisabled students, then it would be consistent with IDEA-B for the student’s placement committee to find that transportation is not Transportation Considerations

Consideration for the IEP team to discuss when addressing transportation as a related service:

• Documented by a medical report- the student has a physical disability that prevents him/her from walking or getting to school independently
• As documented by a medical report- the student has a severe health condition that prevents him/her from walking to school.
• The student has a documented severe cognitive disability that prevents him/her from walking or getting to school independently.
• The student has a behavior/emotional disability that is so severe or erratic that there is a concern for the safety of the student or others.
• The student has a severe communication disability that prevents the student from communicating for his/her own safety.
• The student has a visual and/or hearing disability and the student is unable to arrive at school independently.
• The student is eligible for an early childhood special education program and will not be able to participate in the program without transportation.
• The student is attending a distant school because his/her IEP cannot be implemented at the home school. On a case-by-case basis, the IEP team may determine that public transportation and/or provision of cab fare constitutes appropriate transportation services.

Beyond the conditions specified above, other criteria may be considered in consultation with the IEP team, such as:

• Can the student’s special education services be provided at the home attendance center?

• Can the student walk to the school site? • Can the student use community modes of transportation available to peers the same age? 12

• Can the student independently cross the streets?

• Can the student independently find his or her way between home and school?

• Does the student independently travel similar distances for other activities during non-school hours? The cost of transporting private school children with disabilities may be included in calculating whether the district has met its proportionate cost requirement.