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Bus transportation for special needs students in a pandemic
Here are several guidelines to follow related to students with
disabilities accessing school bus transportation, covering factors such
as mask wearing, social distancing, hand sanitizer use and ventilation.
By: Melissa Ezarik
September 8, 2020
The safe return to school for students with special needs may require
modifications in related service transportation that were not required
prior to COVID-19, as notes the Student Transportation Aligned for
Return to School (STARTS) Task Force report, developed by national
school transportation leaders and published in July. The report
includes 18 guidelines specific to transportation for students with
disabilities. The guidelines cover topics such as:
• Masks. The required use of masks by students with special needs
should be considered on a case-by-case basis after district personnel
are informed about the capacity of each individual student to wear a
mask, the guideline states. Excluding a student from transportation
solely because of the inability to wear a mask would likely be a
violation of the IDEA and Section 504 provision of students being
assured a free appropriate public education (FAPE).
• Social distancing. Students not capable of following social
distancing and “no touching” requirements is also not an acceptable
reason to deny FAPE, the report states. A recommendation is to create
age-appropriate travel training support to be shared with families. An
alternative transportation option can be discussed and offered at no
cost to parents.
• Hand sanitizers. Because some students with disabilities may put
their fingers into their mouth, try to lick off a sanitizer or have an
allergic response to one, prior parent knowledge and approval is
required is sanitizers are going to be used before entry to a bus or
while on a bus.
• Ventilation. Measures such as opening windows require careful
planning and may not be reasonable on buses where students have certain
respiratory conditions with breathing difficulties that are triggered
by fumes, temperature changes, dust or other factors.
• Ability to comply with procedures. Some students with disabilities
are unable to understand or follow new transportation policies and
procedures developed in response to COVID. Drivers and attendants must
understand individual student needs to work effectively with them and
make necessary adaptations for safe transport. Students with limited
capacity to comply should have a contingency and support plan developed
by their team.
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