FRISCO, Texas — Following a tenured faculty general session panel representing more than 200 years of experience in special education and student transportation, Linda Bluth received a lifetime achievement award from School Transportation News during the Transporting Students with Disabilities (TSD) and Special Needs National Conference.

The session, “What to Do When Your Supervisor Asks You to Do Something You Know Is Incorrect,” brought together experienced educators and transportation professionals to discuss navigating difficult workplace decisions. Panelists were praised for sharing their knowledge with conference attendees, described as future leaders in the field.

Bluth accounts for 61 of the years represented by the panel, which she moderated based on a column she wrote of the same name published in the October edition of STN magazine.

Bluth keynoted the inaugural TSD Conference in 1992 and became one of the first tenured faculty experts added by then owner Roseann Schwaderer. But Bluth’s experience in special education dates to 1965, 10 years before Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which in 1990 was reauthorized as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Related: The History of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

She graduated from the College of Emporia in Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a minor in psychology, then she obtained her master’s degree in psychology with a major in tests and measurements and a minor in mental retardation. Bluth earned her doctorate in education from the University of Illinois at Champaign and its Department of Special Education with a major in mental retardation and emotional disturbances and a minor in learning disabilities.

Her first five professional years took place in special education classrooms as a teacher in Ohio and New York. In 1970, she transitioned to college instruction at Parkland Junior College’s Department of Psychology in Champaign, Illinois. At the same time, she was the supervisor of student teachers in the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois. She later became an adjunct professor of special education at Ball State University, Alabama State University, the University of Alabama, Johns Hopkins University, and Coppin State University. She also was an assistant professor at the University of Maryland and Loyola College.

Related: Bluth-Facilitated TSD Conference General Session to Connect Dots on ‘IDEA’
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She also served as associate superintendent of Baltimore City Public Schools in Maryland before joining the Maryland State Department of Education, where she spent 20 years, most notably as chief of the agency’s special education and quality assurance office and later as a consultant. Bluth has also served as an expert witness dozens of cases involving the transportation of students with disabilities and as a consultant on over a dozen more state and national contracts for both the public and private sectors.

A regular speaker and trainer at state and national conferences up until the last several years, she became well known in student transportation circles as one part of the “dynamic duo” alongside special education attorney and fellow TSD Conference tenured faculty member Peggy Burns. STN co-founder Bill Paul introduced the two in the early 1990s, and Bluth and Burns became mainstays at STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada.

Prior to Friday’s award presentation, Burns joined Bluth as well as TSD Conference tenured faculty members Launi Harden, Alexandra Robinson and Sue Shutrump for the general session on how to respond when a supervisor directs you to do something illegal or improper.

In addition to the STN Lifetime Achievement Award, Bluth was inducted int the NAPT Hall of Fame in 2018, received the association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2000, and was chosen for the Q’Straint/Sure-Lok Special Needs Transportation Award in 2013. She’s received at least a dozen other awards from state governments and universities for her work.

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FRISCO, Texas — Laura Hill, general manager of transportation for Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida, accepted the 2026 School Transportation News Transportation Director of the Year Award at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference.

Hill was honored for her leadership in student transportation, which is more than managing school buses, routes and budgets. Instead, the qualities that stood out to STN and those that nominated her for the award consist of building relationships, empowering employees and ensuring every student feels safe.

Steven Whaley, director of alternative fuels for award sponsor Blue Bird, presented Hill with the honor during the event’s opening session, recognizing her 25-year career and dedication to the students, families and transportation professionals she serves.

Hill, who is featured on the cover of the November issue of School Transportation News magazine, began her career as a school bus driver while pursuing a teaching degree. Although she completed her degree, she never entered the classroom. Instead, she discovered a passion for student transportation that eventually led her to oversee one of the nation’s largest school district transportation operations.

The district that she grew up in. Today, she manages nearly 1,000 buses operating 800 routes, transporting approximately 80,000 students across Hillsborough County.

Related: TSD Keynote Highlights Legal Lessons for Special Needs Transportation
Related: Hands-On Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD Conference
Related: Mulick Promotes Independence by Reducing Reliance on 1:1 Adult Support
Related: Policies, Documentation Crucial When Asked to Do Something You Think is Wrong

But Whaley emphasized on Sunday that Hill’s accomplishments extend far beyond operational statistics. Sharing an example of her personal commitment to students, Whaley recounted how Hill visited a bus stop after a second-grade student was mistakenly dropped off at the wrong location the day before. Rather than simply addressing the operational concern, Hill personally met the student the following afternoon and walked her home, helping restore the family’s confidence.

Along the way, Hill connected the student with another girl who had recently moved from the same town, helping both families feel welcome in their new community. Whaley noted that the moment illustrated how exceptional leadership is measured not only through operational improvements but also through the trust built with students and families.

When accepting the award, Hill redirected the recognition toward the employees, administrators and industry partners who support Hillsborough County Public School’s transportation operation.

“While my name might be on this award, I can assure you that it represents the hard work, dedication and commitment of an entire team,” Hill said, while also thanking the district’s school board, superintendent, and Deputy Superintendent Christopher Farkas for supporting transportation as an essential part of the educational system.

Hill also recognized the district’s vendor partners and the approximately 1,200 transportation professionals responsible for ensuring students arrive at school and return home safely.

“Every role matters in our organization, and every contribution makes a difference,” she said. “Over the years, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about having all the answers or being the person who does everything. It’s about building relationships, surrounding yourself with talented people, trusting them, supporting them, and creating an environment where they can be successful.”

Hill thanked her husband and family for supporting her throughout a career that frequently extends beyond traditional working hours.

As the ceremony concluded, Hill reiterated that the recognition belonged to the entire Hillsborough County transportation team, whose dedication makes the district’s daily operations possible.

“One of the things I’m most proud of isn’t the number of buses we operate or the miles we travel. It’s the people behind the buses and the difference that they make in the students’ lives,” she said.

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How can school transportation professionals ensure the safest ride for their youngest passengers and students with disabilities?

At the 2026 TSD Conference, attendees participated in the eight-hour NHTSA Child Passenger Safety on School Buses National Training, gaining hands-on experience with child safety restraint systems (CSRS) and learning best practices for transporting preschool-aged children and students with disabilities.

Led by nationally recognized child passenger safety experts, the training combined classroom instruction, instructional videos and hands-on practice to reinforce proper restraint selection, installation and use on school buses.

School Transportation News takes you inside the training to highlight the importance of proper securement, specialized instruction and continued education in student transportation.

Watch to see how hands-on training is helping school transportation professionals put student safety first. Learn more about the TSDConference.

Related: Mulick Promotes Independence by Reducing Reliance on 1:1 Adult Support
Related: Policies, Documentation Crucial When Asked to Do Something You Think is Wrong
Related: Why Propane is School Bus Fuel of Choice for Two School Districts

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FRISCO, Texas — Behavior specialist Patrick Mulick kicked off the educational sessions at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference by explaining the significance of reducing the reliance on one to one adult support and the importance of having an independent mindset when working with students with disabilities.

“I am not here to help you. I am here to help you help you,” said Mulick, who is the autism coordinator for the Auburn School District in Washington, on Friday.

The five-time TSD Conference speaker has spent over two decades educating students with disabilities, from preschool to high school. The reason why he works in education? To be a difference maker. For Mulick, one of the biggest ways to make a difference in the lives of students with disabilities is by helping them reach a greater level of independence.

“Kids don’t grow because we do things for them,” he said. “Kids grow because we challenge and support them to do things on their own.”

Mulick discussed numerous reasons why one-to-one adult support can have negative effects on students with disabilities, the first of which being unnecessary dependence. He noted how a student with a disability might be hesitant to act without expected adult direction, prompting or cueing.

Additionally, students may experience a lack of interaction with peers as the one-to-one adult aide can create physical or symbolic barriers that interfere with those interactions.

Mulick also discussed how students may experience embarrassment or discomfort from having an adult present. Some students with disabilities may even express their dislike of one-to-one support through inappropriate behavior.

Originally from Boring, Oregon, there is nothing monotonous about the charismatic Mulick. He solicited from attendees a loud “whoo” when asking him how they were feeling, rather than a mundane “good.” He set up his talk with humor by recounting the “struggle” with independence of his parents. The Oregon ban on self-service fueling only expired three years ago. In his new home of Washington state, however, where self-serve has been legal, he would need to assist his parents whenever they visited.

Mulick explained how gas stations in Oregon now provide step-by-step visual instructions to help motorist figure out how to pump their own gas. He used this example to demonstrate how important visuals can be to students with disabilities and the importance of promoting their independence.

“A well-used visual is worth a thousand verbal reminders,” Mulick said.

The idea resonated with attendee Melanie Tsosie, a bus driver from Piñon Community School in Arizona.

“Introducing visuals and helping regulate. That’s what I got out of this,” she said.

Another key takeaway from Mulick’s presentation was the importance of predictability. He outlined five steps that can ultimately help students with disabilities have an easier time navigating their daily routines. Start with setting a routine, which leads to predictability, then reliability and trust. A feeling of safety follows, resulting in tangible success for the student.

“If there is no plan to remove the training wheels, then you are only training the child to be dependent on them,” Mulick said.

Kyle Guison, who works in special needs transportation with Springfield R12 School District in Missouri, couldn’t agree more.

“How can we help our students with special needs increase their independence?” Guison said. “Which is ultimately what we all want, both on the special education and the transportation side.”

Mulick also shared the idea of shifting the language when attempting to help students with disabilities reach a level of independence. Instead of saying “remove” or “take out the adult,” Mulick advised that educators use phrases like “increasing opportunities for independence.” This shift in language not only changes how to approach student support but also help parents move from a mindset of protecting their children to one focused on building their skills.

Mulick concluded with a quote from Helen Keller, “A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make the turn.”

Related: (STN Podcast E223) Challenges & Consistency: Patrick Mulick Unlocks Autism on the School Bus
Related: Fan Favorite Mulick Provides Student Transporters Tips for De-Escalation
Related: Mulick Returns to TSD Conference with Keys to Unlocking Autism

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School transportation professionals who need supervisor approval to attend the 2026 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference and Trade Show have a resource to help make their case: A downloadable, customizable supervisor-approval letter provided by School Transportation News.

The template is designed to help prospective attendees demonstrate how conference participation can benefit their transportation operations. It outlines the event’s educational and networking opportunities, highlights keynote presentations and includes an itemized cost estimate for registration, airfare, lodging, transportation and meals. TSD Conference begins Nov. 4 and 5 with the Transportation Director Summit, which requires separate approval to attend. The full conference runs from Nov. 6-10 at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel & Convention Center in Frisco, Texas.

Users can personalize the letter with their supervisor’s name, specific conference sessions relevant to their responsibilities, and current organizational priorities. The template also emphasizes sharing newly acquired knowledge with colleagues afterward, extending the value of the investment beyond a single attendee.

Training is essential to the industry’s commitment to safety, efficiency and service, especially when transporting students with disabilities and preschoolers. These particularly vulnerable student populations require specialized knowledge, equipment, individualized planning and communication strategies that are not always addressed in general transportation training.

Few educational opportunities provide the depth and concentration of professional development found at the TSD Conference, where the entire program focuses on these students and the transportation professionals who serve them.

The full conference agenda addresses behavior management, legal compliance, Head Start transportation, emergency response, student independence and operational best practices. Keynote speakers include behavior specialist Patrick Mulick, special education attorney Julie Weatherly and former federal special education official Glenna Wright-Gallo.

Special training opportunities include the eight-hour, hands-on seminar on proper child passenger safety instruction, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as wheelchair and occupant securement certification, and hands-on emergency evacuation training. The Transportation Director Summit and Special Needs Roadeo offer additional leadership development and practical learning opportunities. Certain activities require separate registration, additional fees or both.

Professional networking is another important component. Attendees can connect during the Nov. 5 welcome reception at Topgolf The Colony and the Nov. 6 Ride & Drive + Technology Demonstration.

The Nov. 8 TSD Trade Show and Tailgate Reception, scheduled from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m., will feature approximately 70 exhibitors showcasing products, technology and services. Additional networking and trade show information is available online.

Prospective attendees are encouraged to download the supervisor-approval letter, identify relevant training opportunities and submit their requests while time remains.

Registration remains open online, and attendees also may register in person at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco. Space in certain specialized training sessions is limited.

Related: Special Needs Roadeo Returns to TSD Conference with Expanded Training, Team Challenges
Related: Workshop on Solving Challenging Transportation Scenarios to Close TSD Conference
Related: New Date Set for NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD

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School districts and bus companies can use a two-hour training session at the 2026 Transporting Students with Disabilities (TSD) Conference to take a closer look at how they prepare school bus aides, attendants or monitors — and identify where their programs need to grow.

Launi Harden and Teena Mitchell will lead the two-hour session Nov. 9. It is designed for organizations with an established attendant-training program as well as those still developing one. Participants will examine whether their current training prepares aides and monitors for the responsibilities in their job descriptions. Those without a formal program can use the session as a starting point for building one.

Harden is a retired director of transportation for the Washington County School District in Utah. She is now a school transportation consultant, executive director of the Florida Association for Pupil Transportation and a tenured faculty member of the TSD Conference. Mitchell is a special needs transportation coordinator for Greenville Public Schools in South Carolina, an expert witness in legal cases involving the transportation of students with disabilities and special needs and immediate past-president of the National Association for Pupil Transportation.

Rather than relying on a lecture format, the presenters plan to make the session participatory. Attendees will work in small groups to unpack what specific job duties mean in practice, discuss how they should be taught and consider how to evaluate whether employees can perform them. The goal is for participants to leave with practical ideas they can bring back to their own organizations.

The discussion will draw on eight areas of attendant training: Disability awareness, equipment use, job duties, individualized education programs, confidentiality, student behavior, de-escalation and support strategies, and professional performance and communication skills. The presenters will connect those topics to actual job-description language, helping attendees move from broad expectations to specific skills and procedures.

The Accuracy of School Bus Attendant Job Descriptions

A job description might say that an aide or attendant is responsible for loading and unloading students or using specialty equipment. The session will encourage participants to consider what those job duties require beyond the wording on the page. For example, how can aides support students during the process? What equipment knowledge is needed? How do expectations change for a student who uses a wheelchair? And how should training be verified before an aide handles a task independently?

That approach can also help districts and companies identify whether a job description is clear enough to guide training and whether training covers the responsibilities employees are expected to carry out. Attendees can examine where a program is working, where it may leave gaps and what steps could make it more consistent.

The two-hour session will use focused discussions and small group exercises to keep participants involved. Harden and Mitchell expect attendees to share questions and experiences, compare approaches and discuss best practices. The format is intended to help participants build a usable framework, not simply collect a list of topics.

The presenters will also address the importance of matching support to students’ needs and considering safety responsibilities in context. As part of that discussion, participants can reflect on the role of IEP teams, the need to document concerns and what a district may need to consider when it knows a student faces a safety risk. Mitchell’s work as an expert witness informs her perspective on how decisions about transportation support may be scrutinized. The session is a professional training opportunity, not legal advice.

For districts and contractors, the value of the training may be in the questions it helps them ask. Do aides understand the full scope of their duties? Are they prepared to support students with different needs? Do they know how to use required equipment? Does the organization have a way to confirm that training has been understood and applied?

Attendees who already have an attendant program can use the session as a litmus test for their current practices. Those starting from scratch can use its topics and activities to begin designing a program that fits their own operations and workforce. In either case, the focus is on translating expectations into skills that can be taught, discussed and evaluated.

The TSD Conference and Trade Show takes place Nov. 4–10 at the Embassy Suites in Frisco, Texas.

Attendees can save $100 on Main Conference registration by registering before the Early Bird discount expires this Friday, Oct. 2. The Early Bird rate is $499, compared with the $599 standard rate. Main Conference registration includes breakout, general and keynote sessions, networking events and the trade show. Special training courses require additional registration or fees. 

Related: Bluth to Address Safety Guidance, Head Start Proposal at TSD Conference
Related: Special Needs Roadeo Returns to TSD Conference with Expanded Training, Team Challenges
Related: ASL Training at TSD Conference to Equip Student Transporters for Safer Communication 

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Linda Bluth will bring her decades of expertise in special needs transportation to two sessions at the upcoming Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) National Conference in Frisco, Texas, examining how student transporters should respond when guidance is flawed or absent and what proposed federal changes could mean for Head Start transportation.

A TSD Conference Tenured Faculty member, Bluth has been associated with the training since its inception in 1992, when she delivered one of the inaugural conference’s keynote presentations. Her return continues a commitment to helping transportation professionals understand and meet the needs of students with disabilities and preschoolers.

Bluth’s career spans six decades of work in special education and school transportation. She is a past president of the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), a former chair of its Special Needs Committee and an NAPT Hall of Fame member. Her work has included federal and state education policy, school administration, professional training and extensive writing on transporting students with disabilities.

She also serves as an expert witness in legal cases nationwide involving school transportation safety and compliance, bringing a perspective informed by both daily operational challenges and the consequences when services fall short.

On Friday, Nov. 6, Bluth will moderate the opening general session, “When Guidance is Incorrect or Missing.” Fellow TSD Conference Tenured Faculty members Alexandra Robinson, Launi Harden and Sue Shutrump will join her for the panel discussion.

The session draws from Bluth’s column in the October edition of School Transportation News magazine. It will examine the importance of questioning direction from supervisors when that guidance conflicts with regulations, compliance obligations or best practices. Attendees will hear strategies for addressing these situations rather than simply accepting instructions that could compromise appropriate transportation services.

View the TSD Conference agenda

Bluth will also present “Head Start Transportation at a Crossroads” on Saturday, Nov. 7, addressing the potential implications of a federal notice of proposed rulemaking that would substantially reshape Head Start’s operating requirements.

The proposal, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, would rescind and replace the existing Head Start Program Performance Standards with a more limited federal framework. It would remove detailed requirements, including transportation provisions, while relying more heavily on state and local rules. The agency describes the proposal as an effort to reduce regulatory burdens and give programs greater flexibility while preserving statutory obligations.

Among the proposed transportation changes is eliminating the federal requirement for a bus monitor to be on board vehicles transporting Head Start children, leaving staffing decisions more dependent on local operating practices and applicable state or local requirements. The proposal is not a final rule.

For student transporters, those potential changes raise practical questions about how programs would establish and maintain consistent safety expectations for their youngest passengers. Bluth’s session will provide an opportunity to examine what the proposed shift could mean for Head Start transportation operations.

The TSD Conference takes place Nov. 4–10 at the Embassy Suites in Frisco, Texas.

Attendees can save $100 on Main Conference registration by registering before the Early Bird discount expires Friday, Oct. 2. The Early Bird rate is $499, compared with the $599 standard rate. Main Conference registration includes breakout, general and keynote sessions, networking events and the trade show. Certain special training courses require additional registration or fees. Registration is available through the TSD Conference website.

Related: Proposed Head Start Regulation Changes Could Impact Transportation
Related: Crashes, Proposed Head Start Changes Underline Need for Proper Preschooler Securement
Related: New Date Set for NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD
Related: Closing TSD Keynote Bridges Gap Between Student Behavior, Positive Reinforcement

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Recent school bus crashes involving preschool-age children and proposed changes to federal Head Start transportation requirements are adding urgency to a new hands-on training planned for the TSD Conference.

“Conventional CSRS, Who Needs ‘Em?! Turns Out, Many Students Do!” will be presented Friday, Nov. 6 by Denise Donaldson, a certified child passenger safety technician instructor and editor and publisher of Safe Ride News. The session will give school transportation professionals practical experience installing and using conventional child safety restraint systems, or CSRS, for preschoolers and other students who require them.

The training comes as occupant protection for young children remains a prominent school bus safety issue. In April, a school bus carrying six preschool students in Meridian, Idaho, was involved in a crash that resulted in one student and a bus monitor being transported to a hospital for evaluation.

Student transporters continue to examine lessons from the March 2024 school bus crash near Dale, Texas, in which a bus carrying 44 preschool students ages 4 and 5, and 10 adult chaperones was struck by a concrete pump truck and rolled over. The National Transportation Safety Board has reiterated that preschool children should be transported using child restraint systems appropriate for their age, weight, height and individual needs.

That backdrop makes proper selection, installation and use of CSRS especially important for transportation professionals serving younger students.

Conventional child safety restraints are designed primarily for passenger vehicles, so they may not always be the first option considered by school bus operators. But Donaldson noted that for many children from birth through kindergarten, as well as some students with disabilities, conventional restraints can be the only suitable option. The TSD training is designed to provide the basics of using those systems correctly in a school bus environment.

TSD Conference participants will work directly with conventional CSRS and school bus seating to see how the restraint interacts with the bus seat, practice making necessary adjustments and learn to identify common installation and usage errors.

The timing is also significant for Head Start transportation providers.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families in August proposed a sweeping rewrite of the Head Start Program Performance Standards that would significantly reduce federal regulation and return greater authority over transportation practices to states and local programs. The proposed rule would remove many of the detailed transportation requirements now contained in federal Head Start regulations.

Among the changes, the proposal would eliminate the federal requirement that at least one bus monitor be aboard whenever Head Start children are transported. Programs would instead have more flexibility to determine transportation staffing based on local operations and applicable state or local rules.

The proposal would go further by removing the existing federal regulatory definition of “child restraint system” from the Head Start regulations, as well as the definition of an “allowable alternate vehicle.”

However, the proposal would not mean Head Start programs are free from child-passenger-safety requirements. ACF states that programs would still have to comply with applicable state and local regulations, including state requirements governing child safety restraints in moving vehicles, and would remain responsible for the safety of enrolled children. Programs could also voluntarily continue practices contained in the current federal standards even when they are not required locally.

That potential shift makes understanding the fundamentals of proper restraint use especially relevant for Head Start transportation personnel. Rather than relying solely on a detailed federal transportation framework, programs could increasingly need to understand how state requirements, vehicle type and accepted child passenger safety practices apply to the children they transport.

Donaldson’s training will also address transportation in vehicles other than traditional school buses. She noted that much of the information translates to alternative vehicles, while important differences in installation and use between vehicle types will also be explained.

The Friday scheduling provides another benefit for teams competing in the special needs team roadeo, giving them an opportunity for hands-on practice before the competition’s car-seat event on Saturday. Participation in the roadeo is not required to attend Donaldson’s training.

Attendees are encouraged to bring questions about conventional CSRS. Donaldson will draw on her experience as a CPST instructor to help participants work through installation and usage issues they may encounter in their own transportation operations.

The Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference Early Bird registration is $499 through Oct. 2, a savings of $100 off the standard registration rate. The conference runs Nov. 4-10, located in Frisco, Texas. Attendees can register and view the latest conference agenda at TSDConference.com.

Related: Special Needs Roadeo Returns to TSD Conference with Expanded Training, Team Challenges
Related: Workshop on Solving Challenging Transportation Scenarios to Close TSD Conference
Related: New Date Set for NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD

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A proposed overhaul of federal Head Start regulations could significantly change how transportation services are governed, and attendees at the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference this November will have an opportunity to examine what the changes could mean for daily operations.

A special conversation scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, will focus on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs. The session will provide attendees with an update on the status of the rulemaking as of the conference and bring the discussion directly to transportation professionals who serve Head Start children and families.

The Administration for Children and Families published the NPRM Aug. 7 and set an Oct. 6 deadline for public comments. It proposes to rescind and replace the Head Start Program Performance Standards most recently revised in 2024, including those for transportation. ACF said the changes are intended to reduce federal regulatory burden, eliminate requirements it considers duplicative of state and local rules, and return greater decision-making authority to Head Start agencies and families.

The NPRM proposes removing the detailed federal transportation requirements contained in 45 CFR 1303.70 through 1303.75. Those provisions currently address vehicle selection and operation, routing, safety procedures and transportation of children with disabilities. Under the proposal, Head Start programs would instead continue to follow applicable state and local licensing and transportation requirements, along with remaining federal statutory obligations.

One of the most closely watched provisions is the existing federal requirement for a bus monitor aboard vehicles transporting Head Start children. ACF proposes eliminating that mandate and allowing programs greater flexibility to determine transportation staffing based on local operations, safety practices and state or local regulations. The agency’s regulatory analysis states some programs could reduce staffing costs, while also acknowledging that programs may continue using monitors because of state or local requirements or their own safety practices.

That distinction is expected to be central to the TSD Conference conversation.

Rather than simply reviewing regulatory language, the Nov. 7 session will examine the operational questions the proposal raises for the people responsible for transporting young children. Among them: Would programs continue using monitors even if they are no longer federally required? How might requirements vary from state to state? What could changes to federal vehicle, routing and safety rules mean for training, staffing and equipment? And how could programs balance potential new flexibility with the unique transportation needs of preschool-age children and children with disabilities?

Those questions have surfaced repeatedly in interviews conducted by School Transportation News, which will report on the topic in the upcoming November edition of the magazine. Issues cited include the role monitors play in securing young children in child safety restraint systems, supervising students and assisting during loading, unloading and emergencies. Others pointed to transportation access as an especially important issue for rural families and programs already confronting driver shortages and increasing operating costs.

The discussion will also distinguish between what has been proposed and what programs are currently required to do. The NPRM itself does not change existing Head Start transportation requirements while the rulemaking process continues. The TSD Conference session will reflect whatever action, if any, HHS has taken following the close of the public-comment period.

The 2026 TSD Conference and Trade Show runs Nov. 4-10 at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel & Convention Center in Frisco, Texas. The event brings together student transportation, special education, safety and industry professionals for general and breakout sessions, specialized training, hands-on activities, networking and a trade show focused on transportation for students with disabilities and special needs.

Early Bird main conference registration is $499 through Oct. 2, a savings of $100 off the $599 standard registration rate. Registration includes keynote, general and breakout educational sessions as well as the Welcome Party at Topgolf The Colony, the Ride & Drive + Technology Demonstration and the TSD Tailgate Trade Show Reception. Certain specialized training programs require separate registration and fees. Visit TSDConference.com to register and view the latest agenda.

Related: New Date Set for NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD
Related: Mulick Returns to TSD Conference with Keys to Unlocking Autism
Related: Legal Keynote to Examine Court Rulings Reshaping Special Needs Transportation
Related: Special Needs Roadeo Returns to TSD Conference with Expanded Training, Team Challenges

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The roadeo for teams of school bus drivers and aides who serve students with disabilities and preschooler returns to the TSD Conference this November with expanded hands-on training, new team challenges and an open invitation to school transportation professionals who want to test — and strengthen — their skills in real-world scenarios involving students with disabilities and special needs.

The roadeo sponsored by Q’Straint/Sure-Lok will be held Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7, in conjunction with the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs Conference and Trade Show in Frisco, Texas. The event is produced and organized by the industry group WIT., LLC, Women in Transportation, which is dedicated to leading, mentoring and empowering women in student transportation,
The teams from across the country will take written exams Friday. Prosper Independent School District is again hosting the Saturday competition that is open to all.

Participation is not limited to teams that have qualified through a state or regional competition. Driver-attendant teams may represent a school district, contractor, state association or other organization, while independent participants and “pickup” teams are also welcome to take part in the challenging professional-development experience.

While friendly competition remains part of the roadeo, the emphasis is on learning, teamwork and strengthening the skills needed to safely transport students with disabilities.

Teams will need to work together throughout the course, with particular attention paid to communication with students, safety and care. This year’s event will also feature additional activities and hands-on training designed to challenge participants beyond traditional driving skills. On-site team challenges will provide opportunities to earn extra credit during the competition.

The Saturday course at Prosper ISD will place driver-attendant teams in situations that require them to communicate, make decisions and apply best practices while working together.

Preparation begins well before teams arrive in Texas. The 2026 roadeo test package will be distributed to registered teams by Oct. 1. As in previous years, the written portion of the competition will be open book, allowing participants to use the preparation process as another opportunity to build their knowledge of specialized transportation.

View the TSD Conference Agenda

Friday, Nov. 6 will combine roadeo preparation with access to TSD Conference education. Registered team participants can attend the opening keynote by behavior expert Patrick Mulick, who will present “Promoting Independence and Reducing the Reliance on 1:1 Adult Support.” Mulick will examine how student transporters can maintain safety while helping students develop greater independence.

Roadeo participants will also have access Friday to the Foundations of Transporting Students with Disabilities & Preschoolers seminar, which provides instruction on laws and regulations, the IEP process, terminology, operational practices and other fundamentals involved in transporting students with disabilities and young children.

The roadeo team and judges meeting will be held Friday afternoon in preparation for Saturday’s competition.

Those remaining through Sunday morning can participate in American Sign Language for Student Transporters, which provides practical instruction for improving communication with deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The hands-on training introduces useful ASL phrases, accessibility considerations and strategies transportation teams can apply on the school bus.

The broader access to TSD Conference education is intended to make participation in the special needs team roadeo more than a one-day skills competition. Drivers and attendants can learn from national experts, practice techniques with other transportation professionals and then apply those lessons to challenges modeled on situations they may encounter while serving students with disabilities.

Scholarship opportunities also remain available to help qualified participants attend.

Team registration is separate from main TSD Conference main registration. Visit the TSD Conference website for registration information, scholarship details and the latest event agenda.

The 2026 TSD Conference and Trade Show takes place Nov. 4-10 at the Embassy Suites in Frisco, Texas, and features specialized education and training focused on transporting students with disabilities and special needs. Early Bird registration is currently available through Oct. 2, a savings of $100 off the standard registration rate. Main conference registration includes keynote, general and breakout educational sessions, networking events, the Ride & Drive + Technology Demonstration, and the TSD Trade Show and reception.

Related: Workshop on Solving Challenging Transportation Scenarios to Close TSD Conference
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TSD Conference attendees making travel plans for November may want to think twice before booking their flight home.

A new two-hour experience, “Big Ideas and TSD Takeaways,” concludes the 2026 TSD Conference on Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 8 to 10 a.m. Rather than simply recapping the event, the interactive session is being designed to challenge attendees with the kinds of complicated, real-world situations that student transporters regularly encounter, and that are not addressed in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

The featured workshop, “Twists, Turns & Modifications: A Scenario-based Workshop for Achieving Safety, Compliance & Best Practices in Transportation,” will ask participants to work through scenarios involving students with disabilities and special needs. The answer may not be as simple as following a written procedure, and it is highly likely is no time to wait for an IEP team to reconvene and address the issue.

School buses and other school vehicles are dynamic environments. An IEP may establish transportation requirements, but not every situation that develops during a route can be anticipated on paper. Safety concerns, changing student needs, medical issues, behavior and other circumstances can require transportation professionals and collaborators to assess what is happening, determine what can safely be done in the moment and understand what should happen next.

That intersection between compliance and real-world decision-making will form the foundation of the closing workshop. Organizers are developing scenarios that will allow attendees to discuss possible responses, hear different perspectives and examine how transportation, special education, medical and therapeutic considerations can influence a decision.

The goal is to make the final two hours of the TSD Conference some of the most participatory and practical of the entire conference — while giving attendees an opportunity to connect lessons learned throughout the week and take those ideas back to their operations.

Twists, Turns & Modifications” also serves as the logical bookend for Friday, Nov. 6 opening general session “When Guidance is Incorrect or Missing.”  Following a keynote by behavior expert Patrick Mulick, TSD Tenured Faculty members Alexandra Robinson, Launi Harden and Sue Shutrump will discuss the importance of not accepting direction from superiors that contradicts regulations, compliance or best practices. The session is based on an article written by fellow TSD Tenured Faculty Member Emeritus Linda Bluth, which will appear in the October edition of School Transportation News magazine. Attendees will receive strategies on how to handle these situations.

Main Conference registration is currently $499 under the Early Bird rate through Oct. 2, a $100 savings from standard registration beginning Oct. 3. Registration includes access to keynote, general and breakout educational sessions as well as conference networking events.

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Assigning dedicated adult support a student with disabilities on school buses can resolve immediate safety or behavioral concerns. But without a clearly defined purpose and regular reevaluation, that well-intentioned intervention can become a permanent arrangement that limits the student’s opportunities to grow, a leading child behavior expert says.

Board-certified behavior analyst and school district administrator Patrick Mulick will address that tension during an opening keynote at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference and Trade Show. Mulick will present “Promoting Independence and Reducing the Reliance on 1:1 Adult Support” from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 6 to officially open TSD Conference, which is scheduled for Nov. 4-10 at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center in Frisco, Texas.

During a recent interview for an upcoming episode of the School Transportation Nation podcast, Mulick explained that school districts frequently respond to challenging student behavior by assigning a one-on-one adult chaperone or aide. The response may provide immediate stability on the school bus, but he cautioned that it does not necessarily address the underlying reason for the behavior or build the skills the student needs to succeed more independently.

The longer a student relies on an adult to provide continuous directions, reminders and assistance, Mulick said, the greater the risk that the student begins to believe success is not possible without that person nearby. A constant adult presence can also affect relationships with peers and result in a student receiving far more correction and redirection than other riders.

Meanwhile, transportation departments must contend with the staffing, scheduling and financial implications of maintaining intensive support for an extended period. The keynote will explore how districts can protect safety while moving away from adult proximity as the default measure of student support. The session description promises transportation directors, supervisors and other district leaders a practical blueprint for creating sustainable systems that prioritize student agency.

Defining Adult Support

The behavior expert stressed that the objective is not to arbitrarily remove school bus aides or other necessary services. Some students require intensive adult assistance, and those supports must remain in place for as long as the individual needs exist.

Instead, he wants teams to become more precise about why a dedicated adult was assigned, what the adult is expected to accomplish and how the student’s continuing need will be reviewed. A support that was necessary in elementary school, or that has been in place on the bus for several years, should not automatically continue without asking whether the student’s abilities and circumstances have changed.
A central question, he said, is what skill the student has not yet developed that makes one-on-one support necessary. Once that skill is identified, transportation personnel can work with special education staff, behavior professionals and the student’s family to teach it rather than simply completing the task for the student.

That collaboration is especially important because transportation is too often informed of a staffing decision only after it has been made. Mulick said transportation professionals should be included earlier so they can explain the realities of the bus environment, help identify the support the student actually needs and understand the intended role of the assigned adult.

The conversation must then continue after the aide steps onto the bus. Without a specific plan, a one-on-one adult may naturally begin doing more for the student, making it increasingly difficult to determine what the student can do independently.

Mulick will demonstrate how teams can begin to “outsource” some of that adult support to the surrounding environment. Rather than verbally walking a student through each part of boarding, finding a seat and preparing for the ride, for example, staff might introduce a visual sequence and allow the student sufficient time and space to follow it.

Visual reminders can also prompt a student to use a familiar self-regulation strategy without an adult repeatedly telling the student what to do. As the student demonstrates greater competence, teams can gradually reduce the intensity of the prompt, the frequency of the reminder or the adult’s physical proximity.

Those changes may appear small, Mulick noted during the interview, but repeated opportunities to complete manageable tasks can build confidence and independence over time. The goal is not a rapid withdrawal of assistance. It is a purposeful progression from direct adult intervention to supports the student can recognize and use with less help.

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Mulick is currently a director of special education for Auburn School District in Washington state. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in special education and behavior analysis from Gonzaga University and previously taught students with disabilities from preschool through high school. He has since trained teachers, administrators, therapists, paraeducators and school transportation professionals across the country.

He is also a familiar presenter to STN conference audiences. His previous sessions have addressed student behavior, autism, positive reinforcement and the need to connect transportation more closely with the classroom and the rest of the educational program. His 2024 TSD keynote challenged attendees to reconsider the experiences of students with autism and provide more individualized, informed support on the school bus.

Early Bird registration for the TSD Conference is $499 through Oct. 2. Main conference registration provides access to workshops, breakout sessions, general and keynote sessions, networking events, the TSD Trade Show and reception, and the Safety and Technology Product Demonstration and Special Needs Ride & Drive. Visit the TSD Conference website to register and view the latest agenda.

Article written with the assistance of an AI transcript.

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Special education attorney Julie Weatherly, Esq., will bring four decades of legal experience to the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference and Trade Show this November, helping school transportation professionals understand how recent court decisions can affect every day operational choices and potentially expose districts and transportation providers to litigation.

Weatherly will present “The Wheels of Justice: Important Case Law Impacting Transportation of Students with Disabilities” Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 to 10:45 a.m. The keynote is part of the 2026 TSD Conference, scheduled for Nov. 4-10 at the Embassy Suites in Frisco, Texas.

During a recent interview on the School Transportation Nation podcast, Weatherly reflected on beginning her special education law practice in 1986, when litigation surrounding the federal special education law was still developing. Since then, she has watched the field evolve through new regulations, federal guidance, civil-rights investigations and major U.S. Supreme Court decisions. That long view will frame a keynote focused less on legal theory and more on what court rulings mean for student transportation services during the individualized education program process.

Weatherly plans to use real-world scenarios and recent decisions to address four areas of growing concern: Personal injury-type monetary damages in special education cases, student discipline, transportation as a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and requests involving service animals. The goal is to help attendees recognize where legal vulnerabilities can arise while providing safe, equitable and individualized transportation.

One focal point will be the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2025 decision in A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools. The unanimous Court rejected a heightened “bad faith or gross misjudgment” standard that had applied to certain education-related claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Instead, the Court held that students bringing those claims are subject to the same standards that apply in other disability-discrimination contexts. Weatherly indicated she will explain why the decision matters when parents seek compensatory damages over alleged failures involving transportation and other special education services.

The keynote will also examine cases addressing what transportation actually means as an IDEA-related service. Attendees can expect discussion of individualized transportation needs, questions surrounding door-to-door service and the point at which operational policies must yield to decisions made by an IEP team. Weatherly will also connect transportation-related discipline to the district’s obligation to maintain required services when a student’s behavior results in removal from the school bus.

Service-animal requests present another developing area. Weatherly plans to review how courts have responded to the accommodations requested by families and how far districts may be required to go. For transportation teams, those cases can raise practical questions about boarding, student and staff responsibilities, safety planning, supervision and the need for an individualized response rather than a blanket policy.

Her broader podcast conversation underscored the rapidly changing environment in which those decisions are being made. Weatherly discussed uncertainty surrounding federal special education and civil-rights enforcement while emphasizing that the legal rights of students with disabilities remain in place. She also cautioned districts against treating AI as a substitute for qualified legal advice or individualized educational decision-making, citing the potential for inaccurate information, confidentiality problems and generic, cut-and-paste planning that does not address a specific student’s needs.

Weatherly is the founder of Resolutions in Special Education, Inc., a Mobile, Alabama-based legal and consulting firm that assists education agencies with disputes arising under IDEA, Section 504, the ADA and related laws. A graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law and a member of the Alabama and Georgia state bars, she provides legal and consulting services to school agencies nationwide and is a frequent presenter at state and national special education law conferences.

Main conference registration is currently available at the $499 Early Bird rate through Oct. 2, a savings of $100. Registration includes the main conference workshop, general and keynote sessions, networking events, the Ride & Drive + Technology Demo, and the trade show and reception. Visit TSDConference.com and clicked the Register Now button to reserve a seat.

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