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
Related: ASL Training at TSD Conference to Equip Student Transporters for Safer Communication 
Related: Legal Keynote to Examine Court Rulings Reshaping Special Needs Transportation
Related: Behavior Expert to Help TSD Conference Attendees Rethink 1:1 Adult Support
Related: New Date Set for NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD

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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.

Related: ASL Training at TSD Conference to Equip Student Transporters for Safer Communication 
Related: Legal Keynote to Examine Court Rulings Reshaping Special Needs Transportation
Related: (STN Podcast E320) Unpacking Updates: Legal Eagle Illuminates U.S. Department of Education Shifts
Related: New Date Set for NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD

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School bus drivers, aides and other transportation staff will gain practical American Sign Language (ASL) training to develop skills and emergency-planning strategies during a returning general session at the Transporting Students with Disabilities & Special Needs (TSD) Conference this November.

“American Sign Language for Student Transporters” is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8, from 9:15 to 11:15 a.m. at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco in Frisco, Texas. The session will be led by specialists Rachella Moore and Ursa Rewolinski with the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin.

The ASL training builds on a takeaway general session Moore and Rewolinski presented at the 2025 TSD Conference. It introduced attendees to common misconceptions about the deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) community, transportation accessibility challenges, collaboration with special education departments, and routine ASL phrases that can help build relationships with students.

This year, Moore and Rewolinski will place additional emphasis on emergency preparedness and practical communication. Moore noted that transportation staff cannot assume deaf students will receive the same auditory warnings as other riders during an emergency.

“When there’s no hearing, there’s no warning sound, no siren, no shouted instruction,” she wrote in an email to School Transportation News. “Deaf students need visual signals.”

Attendees will use the ASL training to discuss evacuation planning, assigned seating, visual signals for commands such as danger and stop, and the importance of regularly practicing those procedures. Moore and Rewolinski will also address the need for transportation personnel to communicate with special education staff, parents and interpreters so they understand an individual student’s communication method, calming strategies and emergency plan.

The session will also be hands-on. Participants will pair up to practice ASL and receive feedback while learning signs they can immediately use with students, including “bus,” “stop,” “sit” and “thank you.”

Moore is an outreach specialist with the Texas School for the Deaf Statewide Outreach Center and holds a master’s degree in deaf education. She has served as a deaf mentor and brings both professional and personal experience to her work, having grown up in a deaf family and raising two deaf children.

Rewolinski is a sign language specialist with the Texas School for the Deaf Outreach Center and earned a master’s degree in sign language teaching and education from Gallaudet University. She has taught ASL in secondary and higher-education settings.

The 2026 TSD Conference runs Nov. 4-10 in Frisco. Main conference registration is currently available for $499 with the Early Bird discount through Oct. 2, a savings of $100 off the standard rate. The agenda includes general and keynote sessions, educational workshops, networking events, the Ride & Drive + Technology Demonstration, and the trade show and reception. Visit the TSD Conference website and click Register Now to reserve a seat.

Related: Behavior Expert to Help TSD Conference Attendees Rethink 1:1 Adult Support
Related: Legal Keynote to Examine Court Rulings Reshaping Special Needs Transportation
Related: New Date Set for NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD

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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.

Related: Legal Keynote to Examine Court Rulings Reshaping Special Needs Transportation
Related:School Bus Aides Fill Critical Safety Role for all Students
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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.

Related: New Date Set for NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Training at TSD
Related: What Impact Does the Supreme Court’s Endrew F. Decision Have on School Transportation?
Related: Legal Keynote Opens Attendees’ Eyes to Federal Special Needs Transportation Laws

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-sponsored Child Passenger Safety on School Buses National Training returns to the 2026 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference and Trade Show but on a new day.

The all-day, hands-on training is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Convention Center. The new date places the course one day before the main TSD Conference educational program begins. Participation is limited to 50 people. Separate registration and fees are required.

The course provides an overview of the proper use of child safety restraint systems on school buses, with a particular focus on preschool-age children and students with disabilities. Classroom instruction and videos are combined with guided hands-on practice, allowing participants to work directly with the equipment and procedures discussed during the seminar.

NHTSA’s supporting curriculum demonstrates the installation and use of rear-facing and forward-facing child restraint systems as well as safety vests. The agency identifies pupil transportation administrators and supervisors, school bus drivers and monitors who transport young children — including preschoolers, Head Start students and infants — among the course’s intended audience.

The hands-on component allows participants to practice correctly installing restraint systems and positioning children under the guidance of experienced instructors. The format is designed to help transportation professionals apply the course material when training staff or working with students on daily routes.

Nationally certified child passenger safety technicians who complete the training will earn 3.5 continuing education units.

The seminar may be purchased as an add-on to the TSD main conference registration or taken as a stand-alone course. This allows transportation professionals to attend the specialized training, even if they are unable to participate in the entire conference.

The 2026 TSD Conference and Trade Show is scheduled for Nov. 4-10 in Frisco, with the Transportation Director Summit being held the first two days. The event brings together school transportation, special education and safety professionals for specialized training, keynote presentations, breakout sessions, networking and a trade show featuring equipment and services designed to support students with disabilities and special needs.

Register and view the latest agenda at TSDConference.com.

Main conference registration is available at the $399 Super Early Bird rate through Friday, Aug. 7. The NHTSA training requires an additional fee and must be selected separately during registration.

Related: (STN Podcast E284) Always Something to Learn: Special Needs Takeaways from TSD 2025
Related: (STN Podcast E283) Onsite at TSD 2025 (Part 2/2): Solution-Driven Partners + TD of the Year Interview
Related: (STN Podcast E282) Onsite at TSD 2025 (Part 1/2): Mission-Critical Partners for Special Needs Transportation

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RENO, Nev. — STN EXPO West 2026 took place July 9-15 in Reno, Nevada, offering a week of professional development, leadership training, technology demonstrations and networking for student transportation professionals.

The conference began with registration, a kick-off reception and a poolside welcome event. Friday and Saturday featured specialized training on school bus inspections, active-threat response, mobility securement, reasonable suspicion and transportation supervision. The Transportation Director Summit kicked off that night with leadership discussions and an interactive session at Lake Tahoe the next day.

Main conference programming began Sunday with the Innovator of the Year Award, Green Bus Summit and Bus Technology Summit. Sessions explore alternative fuels, electric school bus infrastructure, artificial intelligence, routing, cameras, illegal passing and student safety. The day concludes with the Ride & Drive and live technology demonstrations.

Monday opened with the Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence and a keynote presentation by Bruce Turkel. Breakout sessions address fleet management, communication, employee fatigue, artificial intelligence and safety technology. Attendees can later visited the “Wonderland of Ideas” Trade Show and networking reception.

Tuesday included a state-of-the-industry presentation, a leadership-focused general session with military veterans and the second day of the Trade Show. Afternoon sessions covered dispatch, budgeting, fleet operations, personnel productivity and practical uses of artificial intelligence.

The conference concluded Wednesday with an executive training session led by NAPT Hall of Fame members Dick Fischer and Pete Baxter. The session focused on safety leadership, emergency preparedness and recognizing warning signs before incidents occur.

Throughout the event, attendees connected with industry peers, explored new products and gained practical strategies for improving student transportation safety, efficiency and leadership. (Photos by Vincent Rios Creative.)

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