Amanda Davila was sentenced to three years in prison for the death of 6-year-old Fajr Williams, who fatally choked on a Somerset County, New Jersey school bus while wearing an improperly secured safety harness.
Davila faced up to 20 years in prison for the charges of aggravated and reckless manslaughter. Instead, a jury found her guilty of child endangerment on Jan. 13. On March 7, a judge sentenced her to three years in prison.
Davila, who was 27 at the time of the Julu 17, 2023 incident, testified in her own defense during the trial and claimed she was at fault but only partially. The defense argued that a family member of Williams improperly buckled her into her wheelchair that day. Davila also reportedly testified during the trial that she wasn’t trained properly on wheelchair securement and made a mistake. However, the school bus contractor she worked for provided monthly training sessions.
Davila’s lawyer said she shared responsibility with the family, who should have ensured the young girl was secured properly. Davila was the assigned bus monitor to Williams, who had Emanuel syndrome, was non-verbal and in a wheelchair. She was being transported to an extended school year program at Claremont Elementary School in Franklin Park New Jersey.
As School Transportation News reported at the time, Williams was strangled by her wheelchair’s harness on the bus ride. The student reportedly slumped forward in her wheelchair after a series of bumps. She was wearing a 4-point harness that secured her to the wheelchair, but ultimately became too tight around her neck, blocking her airway.
Video from the bus ride showed Davila seated in front of Williams, on her cellphone and wearing earbuds, a violation of policies and procedures.
The family of a 6-year-old student who was left inside a Reynoldsburg City Schools bus for hours filed a lawsuit claiming the school district failed to investigate the incident appropriately, reported The Columbus Dispatch.
The incident took place last year, when the nonverbal boy was left unattended and secured in a child safety restraint system on a school bus seat for hours.
According to the news report, the lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, and it alleges that the district violated the child’s right to an education by putting him in danger, as well as treating his family differently because they are non-native English speakers from Nepal.
The parents of the child reportedly filed the lawsuit as John and Jane Doe to protect their child’s identity.
The lawsuit reportedly claims the boy’s mother put the then 6-year-old boy on his regular school bus on Feb. 16, 2023, to attend afternoon preschool classes. The boy was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and received special education services through Reynoldsburg City Schools.
Because of his specific needs, the boy would reportedly be secured in a harness on the school bus.
The lawsuit claims the boy did not return home from preschool that day at the regular time. The father tried calling both the school district and the bus garage but no one answered. He proceeded to the preschool but was told there were no children left in the building. That’s when the parents called the police and reported their son missing.
Court records reportedly indicate police found the child on a school bus at the district’s bus garage. The bus had reportedly brought the boy to his street but dropped him at a neighbor’s home. The preschool had marked the boy as absent from school on that day. However, the boy’s parents do not know where the boy was for the approximately five hours he was unaccounted for and believe he may have been left on the school bus harnessed inside his seat. The exact events of that day remain unclear.
According to the lawsuit, the boy’s parents met with district officials and requested through an interpreter to view the video from the school bus. The lawsuit alleges that the request was passed around the school district for about three weeks, at which time the video had been recorded over and was no longer available.
Administrators reportedly told the boy’s parents via an interpreter that the district had conducted and completed a full investigation, yet no documentation was provided to the parents. The district also allegedly told the interpreter, to stop communicating with the parents. The district told local news reporters through a spokesperson that it is unable to comment on pending litigation.
Constance “Connie” Sue (Newton) Murray, a dedicated advocate for child safety and former owner of E-Z-ON Products, Inc., passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 26, 2024. She was 80.
She was buried at Forest Hills Memorial Park in Palm City, Florida, on Jan. 29, her daughter Wendi Hancock told School Transportation News.
Murray’s life was defined by compassion, innovation and an unwavering commitment to improving transportation safety for children and individuals with special needs.
She was born on April 23, 1944, Zanesville, Ohio, and graduated from Philo High School in 1962. She worked as a registered nurse for more than two decades, bringing care and comfort to those in need. Her passion for helping others ultimately led her to transition into the safety industry, where she made an indelible mark.
Murray founded E-Z-ON Products, Inc. of Florida, a company dedicated to designing and manufacturing safety restraints for children and adults with disabilities and special needs, in 1985 and served as president. Under her leadership, E-Z-ON Products developed multiple innovations that continue to be widely used in school transportation today. Her dedication earned her recognition as a pioneer in the industry, with many considering her an icon for her contributions to student safety.
Hancock, recalled the passion that drove her mother’s work.
“Honestly, my mom loved to help people,” Wendi Hancock wrote to STN in an email. “When she first acquired E-Z-ON, the company was manufacturing racing seatbelts for cars. She saw a greater need and used her nursing background to create the safety vest for transporting special needs students and patients.”
She went on to describe her mother’s impact.
“During the time she owned E-Z-ON, she developed multiple other products that became widely used in the school industry,” Hancock added. “She even created specialized equipment for Johns Hopkins Hospital to help transport immobile patients or those needing more support than a standard seat belt could offer.”
“My mom prided herself on making the best product for everyone,” she said. “She had a kind soul and was always there when you needed her most.”
Connie Murray demonstrates an EZ-ON MAX child safety restraint she designed to secure “Houdini” students during the 2011 STN EXPO in Reno, Nevada.
Murray’s influence extended well beyond her business. She was a devoted advocate for the student transportation industry and a beloved figure within the community. A testament to her commitment was her sponsorship of the slots tournament at the STN EXPO West conference in Reno, Nevada. This annual event became a favorite among attendees and vendors, serving as a platform for building camaraderie and celebrating the industry’s shared mission. Colleagues and friends recall her generosity and warmth, which left a lasting impression on everyone she encountered.
Murray sold E-Z-On Products in 2017.
Beyond her professional achievements, Murray’s personal life reflected her values of care and dedication. She was a skilled seamstress and quilter, sharing her creations with friends, family and local organizations. Her community involvement earned her accolades, including being named Senior Citizen of the Year, highlighting her tireless efforts to give back and make a difference.
Murray is survived by her daughter, Wendi (Fitz) Hancock (Patrick), and her beloved granddaughter, Alexandra. She was a cherished sister to Ronald (the late Sue) and Donald (Shirley) and held close ties with many other family members and friends.
A Tuscaloosa City School bus driver has been arrested after a school bus video footage shows him allegedly assaulting a student with special needs, reported WVTM News.
According to the news report, 74-year-old Samual Jones was taken into custody on Jan. 31 and charged with assault/willful abuse of a child, after a review of school bus footage revealed an incident in which Jones is seen assaulting a student.
The incident reportedly occurred on Jan. 29, when Jones stopped the bus and hit a 17-year-old student. Police stated via the article that Jones is seen in the footage striking the student multiple times with his belt while she remained in her seat.
The transportation staff immediately notified a school resource officer after watching the footage. The officer reportedly contacted the student’s mother and forwarded the evidence to the police department’s Criminal Investigation Division. A warrant was obtained that day. Jones is no longer employed by the school system.
In a workshop titled Fit for Duty: Setting Realistic Expectations for School Bus Drivers of Students with Special Needs, industry veterans explored the challenges and nuances of finding and retaining drivers equipped to meet the needs of students with disabilities during the Transporting Students with Disabilities (TSD) and Special Needs Conference in November.
The session featured Alexandra Robinson, a 34-year education veteran who has served as a special education teacher and executive director of the Office of Pupil Transportation in New York City; David Johnson, Iowa Association for Pupil Transportation executive director; William Tousley, a Farmington, Michigan Public Schools bus driver trainer; and Lorena Valenzi, head bus driver trainer from the Shenendehowa Central School District in New York.
Panelists began with the premise that the correct fit for a driver for students with disabilities or special needs is “more than just a good hire” in an era when a shortage of drivers can easily lead to a quantity-vs.-quality tug of war.
Tousley, who joked that after 48 years in the transportation business he is “starting to like it,” said despite perpetual driver shortages, hiring practices must center around drivers who are best qualified to safely transport children with special needs. “What really matters is how we take care of the kids,” he said.
Others also acknowledged the difficulties of balancing the immediate need for quantity with the critical need for quality in hiring. As Tousley noted, “It’s harder to get rid of people than to hire them,” making the initial selection process crucial. Valenzi described how her district’s office staff, including mechanics, often step in to cover routes, raising concerns about operational decision-making when key personnel are behind the wheel.
Robinson stressed the importance of hiring drivers who are not only physically fit but emotionally and mentally prepared for the unique challenges of transporting students with special needs. “We must separate the behavior from the passenger,” she explained, emphasizing that the role requires patience, adaptability and empathy.
Robinson noted that children’s behaviors and attitudes have changed over the years, which necessitates changes in driver qualifications and traits. “Have kids stayed the same? They have not,” she said, highlighting the need for flexible training tailored to various applicant backgrounds, whether they come from military, factory or corporate settings.
Training emerged as a central theme, particularly for emergency preparedness in the wake of a 2017 Riverside (Iowa) School District tragedy in which a driver was physically unable to escape a bus fire that also claimed a student’s life.
Panelists underscored the importance of agility tests, routine camera reviews and open communication with parents and school staff. “We can’t guarantee the safety of children in emergencies unless we practice with them,” said Robinson. She added that cameras should be celebrated as tools to ensure safety and accountability.
Tousley reflected on the trust placed in drivers: “In what other industry can you pull up in a big vehicle, and they’ll give you, their kids?”
Panelists stressed the critical role drivers play in fostering community trust and bridging the gap between transportation and education.
Finding the right fit for drivers goes beyond hiring. Robinson urged districts to reassess existing staff and address those whose attitudes or inflexibility hinder the team. “If you hesitate to say you want this person driving a child, they shouldn’t be there,” she asserted.
The session also reinforced the concept that school transportation is an extension of the classroom. “We’re here to make a difference in kids’ lives,” Tousley said. From greeting students warmly to understanding their daily struggles, drivers can positively impact children’s school experiences.
Panelists agreed that by fostering patience, flexibility and strong communication, transportation departments can better support students with special needs while maintaining a high standard of service even in the face of persistent driver shortages.
I was inspired by the reaction of attendees at the recent TSD Conference to the concept of celebrating student success during transportation. When this idea was presented in November in Frisco, Texas, where I moderated two panel discussions, it seemed like
virtually everyone was writing it down. Not that celebrating is such a novel idea, but the fact it was being noted by so many attendees, to remember when they got back to work, meant this idea merits at the least more discussion. I decided to flesh it out a little and hopefully show more people why we should be doing it.
We all know transportation is an essential service for many students with special needs. We also know that we should be taking every opportunity to educate students. We certainly want to teach students how to wait for the school bus. We also want to teach them how to enter and exit the school bus, and, perhaps most importantly, how to ride the school bus. Doing all of these by the age of 18 or 22 is a priority, to meet the call of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
These skills need to be passed on to all students at every opportunity. It is essential that these competences are taught and reinforced often.
We will not succeed in every case, but if we start early enough and stick with it, most students will achieve some success, and more than a few will master skills. Students show safer behavior as they become educated. We should celebrate all of them. They are all successes and so are we for our role in their development.
Here’s where the value of celebrating starts to multiply. Shouldn’t the teachers and aides in the classroom celebrate the students’ successes? Yes, because they are responsible for similar advances. They probably have taught the students those same skills in a different setting. They may not have taught the student to show the driver the bus pass, but they could have taught them how to present their student ID to the librarian. They might not
have shown the student how to stand in line waiting to get on the bus, but they probably showed the student how to wait in line to come into the classroom from recess.
Parents also need to take the time to celebrate their student’s success. Most of their communication with the school site is negative. “I only hear from the office when there is a behavioral problem involving my student,” is a complaint we often hear. That alone justifies inviting them to celebrate. But there are so many more reasons.
Here are a few:
• They can see the students demonstrate their progress. We can take the parent and student out to the bus, so the student can demonstrate what they have learned.
• We can also use the opportunity to answer other questions that the parent(s) might have.
• They can see what we’re going to teach next and prepare their students.
• They can come to understand that they are not alone, that struggles they’ve had are shared by others.
• They might be able to gain the confidence that, just maybe, their children will be able to safely ride the public bus when they progress into the world without our care.
The principal, special education staff, and other site employees also need to share in the success. They all played a role in the success. Why not celebrate? The final group that must be invited consists of school bus drivers and transportation staff. How often do we
celebrate them for what they do? We owe them this celebration. In particular, we should be praising our drivers and aides for their ability to educate. That is, the drivers and aides actually teach skills that children will use for life. The drivers do all this for every student without asking much from us. If you can, pay them the extra hour or two the celebration requires, and celebrate them as educators.
These celebrations don’t have to take long, but they are essential. Invite the special education staff, the site staff, district administrators, and others. Maybe food services
can chip in some nutritious snacks (at a huge discount we hope.) You might be surprised at who shows up and just how much they appreciate it. We’re celebrating students’ success but we’re also celebrating everyone’s role in the students’ achievements. What could be better?
Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the January 2025 issue of School Transportation News.
Pete Meslin is a TSD Conference advisor and a retired director of transportation for Newport-Mesa Unified School District in California. He authored the “Bus in the Classroom” program to teach students with disabilities how to safely prepare for and ride school buses.
There’s no getting around the fact that transporting students is an expensive enterprise. Add to that the extra measures needed for serving students with disabilities, and costs grow substantially higher than for other routine operations.
For school some districts, at least a portion of that extra expense is being offset with funds from the federal government. Through provisions in the legislation authorizing Medicaid funding, school systems may file for reimbursement for transportation to and from specified eligible services that students with disabilities need during the school day. These services can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology or therapy services, psychological counseling, and nursing services.
Of course, that’s based on acceptable submission of the required reports, which in turn rests on providing accurate ridership figures. Currently, reporting practices vary among school districts across the country, from relying on paper-based approaches to capitalizing on advanced features offered by routing software and related student ridership verification.
Teena Mitchell, special needs transportation coordinator for Greenville County Schools in Greenville, South Carolina, noted that considering the extra costs involved in serving special needs riders, seeking reimbursement is well worth the effort.
“I think it’s safe to say the cost of transporting students with disabilities is substantially higher than transporting those without them and plays a major role in the overall cost of educating our students with disabilities,” said Mitchell, who is also president of the National Association for Pupil Transportation.
Even if reimbursements go back into a school district’s general fund rather than the transportation department’s budget, she added, the dollars benefit the entire district and can be tracked back to the benefit of the transportation department in supporting areas such as personnel, training and equipment needs.
Of the 78,000 students Greenville County serves daily, nearly 16 percent are students with disabilities. The vat vast majority of those students, 88 percent according to Mitchell, receive the same transportation as non-disabled students and ride general education buses. The remaining 12 percent receive specialized transportation and are served on 111 specialized school buses.
Payment is based on a standard amount per trip. For the 2023-2024 school year, the amount was $13.35 per trip although the rate as of Oct. 1 has increased to $29.06. At the standard of $13.35 per trip, a typical school district of Greenville’s size could have expected to receive about $221,000 this school year, Mitchell calculated.
To file for reimbursement, school bus drivers are given a form that lists qualified students listed for the route in question and the dates transported. When two weeks of information has been recorded, a clerk who manages the program enters the information into the Medicaid system for payment.
The school district has routing software but as of this report wasn’t using for tracking Medicaid reimbursements. However, transportation staff were evaluating options for moving in that direction.
This step has already been taken at Colorado’s Weld County School District 6, said Chad Hawley, director of transportation. Routing software is now being used to track ridership in the district’s 60 routes, including 26 designated for serving students who require specialized transportation.
Software features include custom reporting functionality to capture and document data such as days qualifying students rode, where and what time they were picked up and dropped off, and which personnel were involved. A student information specialist incorporates the relevant details in a report that is shared with the Medicaid specialist in the district’s finance department.
Along with improved accuracy, the workload involved in reporting has been reduced.
“We used to have someone collect daily student counts from all of our specialized routes, input the data into a spreadsheet, and then send all the spreadsheets to the finance department,” Hawley noted. “The previous way was time consuming and not always accurate.”
Plans for a similar approach are in the works at El Dorado Union High School District in Placerville, California, where drivers log attendance and submit monthly reports for transportation provided to an average of 130 students who meet Medicaid requirements.
“When drivers turn in reports, they go first to our dispatchers, who enter the data into a shared spreadsheet,” said Sarah Lemke, director of transportation. “This spreadsheet is then accessible to both the finance team and the student success team, which also tracks our McKinney-Vento [Homeless Assistance Act] students.”
This collective info feeds into a report for both state and federal reimbursements.
Transportation staff currently use routing software to support route planning. “While it doesn’t track attendance directly, this capability is expected once we fully implement the software,” Lemke said, adding the goal is to have it fully operational to support Medicaid tracking this school year. “We’re working to streamline this process into one centralized system. The shared Google sheet we currently use has been very effective for transparency across departments, so we’re optimistic that routing will further enhance that.”
Services provided by an outside firm are central to Medicaid reporting at Hutto Independent School District, where the number of special needs riders has been growing. Currently, the school district located northeast of Austin, Texas transports 242 special needs students out of 4,568 total riders, an increase of 14 percent from last year. This necessitates running 15 routes for students with individualized education programs and 35 general routes with some specialty shuttles and McKinney-Vento routes as well, noted David Uecker, director of transportation.
“A contractor does the filing for us,” Uecker says. “We submit rider counts to the company with our [special education] department handling the reporting.”
Hutto leaders plan to enhance reporting with the implementation of new software. Slated for full adoption in the spring, that move will support tracking of riders with disabilities.
Some school districts have elected not to pursue Medicaid reimbursements, at least for now. That’s the case at Deer Creek School District in Edmond, Oklahoma. The district currently utilizes eight routes to transport 100 students with IEPs each school day but meets those demands without additional federal funding.
“The time it takes to go through the reimbursement process makes it difficult to pursue and maintain districtwide,” said Robert Feinberg, transportation director, echoing a common sentiment of peers nationwide.
At the same time, that decision is subject to review. “There is always a possibility of us beginning to use the program,” Feinberg noted. “Our district will continue to evaluate the process versus the manpower it would take to submit the claims.” He said one scenario that might prompt Deer Creek to begin seeking Medicaid funding would be if the school district experienced a large influx of students who meet reimbursement requirements.
Making It Work
Dealing with the federal government is never simple, and the Medicaid reimbursement process is no exception.
Given the complexity involved, good organization is a must. “Prioritize organization from the beginning,” Lemke said. “And establish a reliable system for collecting needed information in advance.”
The same goes for maintaining the necessary knowledge base. “Special needs transportation is definitely a challenge for many districts,” Feinberg said. “Knowing the local, state and federal laws pertaining to their transportation is vital.”
Targeted training can be a key to effective practice in this area, Mitchell pointed out.
“Training your drivers and attendants to be accurate and consistent can be a challenge, especially if you’re in a larger district,” said Mitchell.
Greenville addresses this need during new-hire training, with all incoming transportation employees receiving at least four days of training in transporting students with disabilities. That includes the Medicaid tracking and reporting process in addition to driver training instruction.
“During this training, we impress on the employees the importance of accuracy and remind them that their signature is their assurance that the form is accurate,” Mitchell added.
“Occasionally there may be updates to the process, and when this happens as it did recently, we schedule an in-service training and also give hand-outs with specific instructions.”
Even with the best training, mistakes can occur. To ensure accuracy, Mitchell said she has found it beneficial to have a staff member oversee the process and review the information generated.
Katrina Morris, who directs transportation at both West Shore Educational School District and Mason County Eastern School District in Michigan, advises those in transportation who have not yet pursued this type of funding to consider going for it.
A lot of districts do not realize that there is money for Medicaid reimbursement for students with special needs who require services,” said Morris, who is also the executive director for the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation. “Please work with your special ed departments to see if this is an option to help receive the funding you are entitled to.”
Mitchell offered similar advice. “If your program is set up and maintained properly, it can run rather smoothly and bring much-needed funding back into the district to offset our diminishing budgets,” she concluded. “These funds can aid you in providing safe transportation with qualified staff.”
Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the January 2025 issue of School Transportation News.
The foundations of transporting students with disabilities and special needs begin with recognizing that vehicles are an integral piece of the entire school experience and that transportation professionals have a central role in Individual Education Programs (IEPs), three panelists said during the Transporting Students with Disabilities (TSD) and Special Needs Conference in Frisco, Texas last November.
Panelists Alex Robinson, Rosalynn Vann-Jackson and Susan Moorehead emphasized every transportation department professional’s responsibility in supporting the academic and personal growth of students with disabilities.
“What happens on the bus is an extension of the classroom and can make or break that student,” industry consultant Robinson explained. “We need to make sure drivers, transporters and parents understand that the goals on the bus match the goals in the classroom. And that can’t happen without effective communication.”
Vann-Jackson, the chief support services officer with the Broken Arrow Public Schools in Oklahoma, stressed the importance of leveraging the collective knowledge of transportation teams. “One thing I’ve learned in pupil transportation is you can’t do it all yourself. Look to the people on your left and right,” she said.
Susan Moorehead, area safety and training manager for Zum Services, agreed. “This is a career where you can make a difference in enhancing the education process of students,” she added. “It’s so much more than driving—it’s about shaping a part of their educational journey.”
The panelists highlighted the evolving role of transportation professionals in IEPs, which are legally mandated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These plans ensure students receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.
“Transportation is a related service under the law, but we often don’t treat it as such,” Robinson said. “The least restrictive environment for transportation starts with general education buses, yet too often we default to special education buses without fully considering the student’s needs.”
The panelists advocated for transportation professionals to be included in IEP meetings, especially when changes in placement, equipment, or support are being discussed.
“You are the expert in transportation,” Vann-Jackson said. “You see things every day that teachers and administrators don’t. If a child has seizures triggered by flashing lights, you need to share that. If there’s a new wheelchair that needs securing, you’ll know how to handle it before anyone else.”
Moorehead added, “Transportation professionals are part of the educational process, not just vendors dropping off students. … It starts with the contract and getting involved immediately with the special education department. … Build relationships with special education departments and show them the value you bring,” Moorehead said.
The panel also addressed the challenges faced by transportation teams, from managing sensitive medical information to maintaining student safety during emergencies.
“There needs to be a chain of custody for medication on the bus. A backpack is not the best place,” Robinson said. “And confidentiality is critical. Drivers shouldn’t be discussing a student’s medication or behavior over the radio.”
Vann-Jackson emphasized the importance of selecting the right people for the job. “Drivers and attendants need to have patience, compassion and the ability to work with children from all backgrounds. If someone tells me they don’t like kids, I tell them UPS is hiring,” she said.
She continued, “It’s not just about attendance and whether we can count on that driver or attendant. It’s about temperament. They need to be able to communicate back to children with patience. We have to provide tools and resources, and they have to be willing to take on those tools and resources.”
Technology and training also play key roles in enhancing the transportation experience. Moorehead highlighted the use of artificial intelligence and other innovations to better understand students’ needs. “The children who need us the most are the ones we can know the most about, thanks to technology,” she added.
The panelists closed the discussion with a call to action: Involve transportation teams early and often in the educational process.
Robinson shared the poignant example of a 22-year-old student whose love for school kept him alive beyond his expected lifespan. “Transportation professionals are part of that IEP team, and what we do matters. Don’t hesitate to speak up and demand the resources you need to provide the best possible service for these students,” she told audience members.
She cautioned, “The reason districts or contractors get into trouble is they know something is important and they don’t ask for it or demand it.”
In the end, the message was clear that pupil transportation is about more than simply getting students with disabilities and special needs from Point A to Point B; it’s about ensuring they arrive ready to learn, grow and thrive.
A school bus emergency that requires evacuation becomes even more multi-faceted when the unique needs of students with special needs or disabilities are factored in. At the 2024 Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs Conference (TSD) Conference, attendees of the Hands-on School Bus Evacuations for Students with Special Needs & Preschoolers class encountered this in real time during.
The TSD Conference brings together student transporters, special educators and other stakeholders for collaboration, education, networking and the critical hands-on training needed for those transporting our most precious cargo. Due to increased interest, two evacuation classes were held at the conference, one on Nov. 9 and one on Nov. 10. Both were hosted by Frisco Independent School District.
Launi Schmutz-Harden, industry consultant and TSD Tenured Faculty member, was one of the instructors for the class. Her many years in transportation have given her unique insight into the impact of emergency training. She noted the importance of collaboration when developing emergency response training. She listed meetings with emergency personnel, occupational & physical therapists, nurses, teachers and parents all as invaluable when determining an effective strategy to keep students and staff safe during emergency situations.
STN reached out to attendees who participated in the evacuation class to document their experiences. One such attendee was Joe Boyles, a school bus driver driver-trainer for the Montana Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT). He had been driving a non-yellow school bus since 2013 and began operating his first yellow school bus route in 2023. His experience driving a bus with students with special needs only began last August. He explained that there was a need for a driver-trainer specifically for drivers of special education routes, which led him to attend the TSD Conference.
“I registered for the evacuation training because I have a student in a wheelchair and I did not have any training on evacuating a student in a wheelchair,” said Boyles. “I know that evacuations are a challenge any time, but I felt that if I got this training, I could bring it back to our district as well as create my own training for MAPT.
Misty Horttor, the route coordinator for Elko County School District in Nevada, said her experience working with students with special needs began in 2017, when she applied for a job as a substitute bus aide on for special education routes. Her career progressed to school bus driver, then driver-trainer, and she now serves in not only as route coordinator but site supervisor and lead trainer. She learned about the TSD Conference while attending STN EXPO West in Reno, Nevada.
She said the evacuation greatly interested her as “our drivers, especially our new drivers, are always intimidated by the thought of evacuation and evacuation drills. If there is a way to help them become more confident in their abilities, I am all for it.”
Both Boyles and Hortter said they received a wealth of information from the class. The classroom part of the evacuation class also includes a quiz for participants.
“The classroom part was great in that I needed the information to make the practical part make more sense. If you know the why we are doing this, the practice and practical part makes more sense,” said Boyles. “Coming up with an evacuation plan was probably the most informative for me. I needed to do one for my bus and this training gave me the information I needed to write that evacuation plan.”
“One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching this class is witnessing the attendees engage in brainstorming sessions to develop evacuation plans,” added Harden. “Their passion for their work and commitment to the children they support often leads to emotional moments, underscoring the importance of this training.”
The hands-on training has participants enter a bus filled with theater smoke to mimic conditions during an on-board fire. The vehicle also contains dolls representing student riders with various special needs and disabilities. Using fire extinguishers and other tools, attendees implement evacuation plans to safely remove the students. Horttor said she rescued a student in a car seat, using belt cutters, evacuated a student with a blanket and other challenging scenarios.
A TSD Conference evacuation class participant exits the bus with a doll that was used to represent a student rider. (Photo by Kristine Hannon)
“You have no idea how disorienting the smoke will be until you are in the bus,” noted Horttor. “How difficult it is to sweep the whole bus to make sure no one was missed and how staggering it can feel to realize that in a real situation, which I’m sure would be a hundred times more stressful, you would have lost an actual child. It was an eye-opening experience that I would love to try with all of our drivers.”
Boyles noted how he appreciated the smoke for the added realism, saying, “It was a real eye opener for me. To be able to search a bus while keeping low is a lot harder than you would think. Knowing it was practice helped me to not panic and make a thorough search. I just hope that if I ever need to do a search, I can keep calm and be thorough.”
Horttor noted the importance of having an evacuation plan and practicing it is often underestimated by many. Engaging in the training at TSD also provided valuable input from student transportation professionals from other operations across the country that are facing their own unique challenges, she said. “This training made us think about the what ifs, including some what ifs that haven’t crossed our minds. But thanks to our very knowledgeable instructors, we hope these situations never happen, but we have plans in case they do.”
Harden shared feedback she received from Ann Taylor, coordinator of transportation at Clay County Schools in Florida, who has attended the evacuation class three times. “She appreciates the collaborative learning environment, where students share valuable insights with one another,” said Harden.
Harden continued that many participants of the class are using the information they learned at the TSD evacuation class at their operations in such states as California, Delaware, Florida, Oregon and Texas.
“As this was the first national training I have ever been to, I did not know what to expect. I was a bit overwhelmed as I am a new special needs driver,” said Boyles. “I truly believe that I gained much information that I will be able to use at our school district. I can also use that information in training other drivers across the state of Montana.”
Boyles continued “I will say that I learned so much at this conference that I am very glad I attended. I got so much information that I hope to use in the future at our school district. I plan to have a meeting with the Transportation Director about things we can implement and make our buses safer and have our drivers better trained. I would suggest to everyone, only change one thing at a time.”
Horttor summed up her experience saying, “I feel better about the training we are providing to our drivers as well as the things I can add to our training program in the future to hopefully help our drivers become more knowledgeable and confident in their ability to handle the situations that may come with this job.”
Harden noted the importance of registering for trainings early due to high demand and not underestimating the amount of time that should be spent on continuing the training.
“It is crucial to understand the importance of practicing evacuations with students, as it can take up to a year for them to learn how to exit safely in an emergency. For some students, the height of the backdoor can be daunting, akin to jumping from a two-story building. Planning and practicing is essential for the students that ride the bus,” said Harden. “This training is crucial at TSD, which serves as a comprehensive resource for those involved in transporting students with disabilities. We discuss real-life scenarios and ensure that all attendees are prepared for emergencies.”
Routing students with special needs and disabilities requires pupil transportation professionals to implement innovative thinking and solutions to achieve the best outcomes, a panel of experts shared during the TSD Conference in Frisco, Texas in November.
The session was moderated by Kerry Somerville, chief executive officer of Transportation Planning Solutions in Gilbert, Arizona, who has nearly 40 years of experience in school bus routing and a personal connection to special needs transportation. His daughter has cerebral palsy and rode the school bus. He said he remembers vividly the many challenges his family endured when working with the school district to ensure their daughter received the transportation service she needed.
The TSD Conference conversation highlighted key strategies for optimizing services while keeping costs down.
Alemnesh Allen, special education transportation coordinator with Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, shared how flexible routing and technology are essential to managing the district’s 500 special education routes. With more than 135,000 students in the district, including 85,000 who are transported daily, Allen emphasized the importance of collaboration between school bus drivers, bus lot supervisors, and case managers.
“You can have special needs students on regular buses,” Allen explained. “We always consider how we can cut costs, including using alternative vehicles for longer trips.”
Kala Henkensiefken, special education transportation coordinator for Independent School District 31 in Bemidji, Minnesota, underscored similar points. In her rural district, which covers 700 square miles, she combines resources by using full-sized buses with three paraprofessionals to support students with higher-functioning abilities. This approach not only saves money but also integrates students with special needs into a regular bus environment.
“The kids would get on the bus and say, ‘Oh, I’m on a regular bus.’ It made them feel like their peers,” Henkensiefken noted.
Data was a recurring theme throughout the conversation, particularly when it comes to ensuring that the routing system reflects students’ unique needs. Henkensiefken shared her experience of initially struggling to enter the right information into the system, which confused both drivers and parents.
“I was routing it in the system but wasn’t getting the right data,” she explained. “We created a simple Google doc to collect vital information from parents, and over time, it helped streamline communication and made parents feel more involved in ensuring their child’s safety.”
Dana Rosen, assistant director of transportation specializing in student safety and campus support with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas, stressed that clear, real-time communication with parents also plays a crucial role in minimizing complaints.
“If you use software with a parent app, you can give them more information and they feel more in control,” Rosen explained, adding that parents who can track bus schedules in real-time are less likely to call and feel more confident that their child is being safely transported.
One of the most significant challenges discussed was the integration of transportation with students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
“Transportation is part of the IEP,” noted Allen. “It’s critical that transportation professionals are involved in the IEP process.” However, this is often easier said than done. While Allen advocates for transparency and equitable treatment, she admitted that attending every IEP meeting is impractical due to resource constraints. Instead, she ensures that transportation professionals are well-educated about the unique needs outlined in the IEPs.
Henkensiefken echoed this sentiment, noting that even small changes in a student’s condition, such as a shift in mobility or medical requirements, must be considered when making transportation decisions.
“Sometimes a child who was once non-ambulatory is now able to walk, and those changes can affect their bus needs,” she continued.
This underscores the importance of regular updates and clear communication.
Driver shortages are another critical issue facing transportation departments, especially as districts struggle to compete with private companies like FedEx and Amazon for CDL-certified drivers. Rosen shared her solution: Bringing in non-CDL drivers and offering them opportunities to grow within the transportation program.
“We can’t keep enough CDL drivers, so we need to think outside the box,” she said, adding that many paraprofessionals or staff from other departments can be trained to drive, often with minimal additional training.
Both Rosen and Henkensiefken said they have found creative ways to utilize paraprofessionals in transportation, leveraging their existing relationships with students to enhance safety.
“They already know the kids,” Henkensiefken noted. “So, we adopt them under the transportation department. It’s a win-win.”
The panelists agreed that having a clear, transparent process is essential for smooth department operations. “If any change comes through, it should go through one central document,” Rosen said. “This ensures accountability and provides a log of everything. It’s vital for both safety and efficiency.”
Allen emphasized that communication with parents and schools is key to avoiding misunderstandings. “I remind people that you’d never put a child in a classroom with a new teacher without informing them first. It’s the same with transportation,” she said, adding that ensuring the right information gets to the right people at the right time makes all the difference in providing safe and effective transportation for students with special needs.
The panel discussion revealed that while the logistics of special needs transportation can be complex, there are many strategies to improve efficiency, reduce costs and ensure safety. By integrating technology, fostering clear communication and prioritizing collaboration between transportation professionals and families, districts can overcome challenges and better serve students with special needs. The key to success, the experts agreed, lies in staying flexible, data-driven and always focused on the well-being of the children being transported.
A common thread throughout the 33 years of the National Conference on Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs, better known as TSD, has been collaboration and communication. Student transporters must be vocal early and often with special education community peers to ensure their perspectives are considered when developing individualized education programs for students.
The impact on transportation as a service, as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the individual transportation plans that result from IEPs is profound. TSD is the place where not only student transporters gather to learn and problem-solve. So do special educators, physical and occupational therapists, nurses, and speech pathologists. All these professionals play a supporting role satisfying the right of students with disabilities satisfy to receive a free and appropriate public education and in the least restrictive environment.
This is what makes transporting students who are medically fragile so complex, and it’s vital student transporters get things right. In November, a panel consisting of a transportation director, school nurse and physical therapist that was moderated by consultant and TSD tenured faculty member Sue Shutrump discussed the critical importance of collaboration and communication between all stakeholders involved in transporting students with these complex needs.
Panelist Laura Beth Blankenship, a pediatric physical therapist with Knox County Schools in Tennessee, noted the increasing number of students riders with ventilators, tracheostomy tubes and severe positioning needs. Further complicating matters, she said some students lack personal adaptive equipment, affecting how a student is positioned and secured on the school bus.
As a result, more and more is asked of school bus drivers and monitors, observed fellow panelist Kenny Mulder, the director of transportation for the Special School District of St. Louis County, Missouri. Angela McDonald, the school nurse consultant for the Kentucky Department of Education, added that mainstreaming students with these various health conditions on general education routes necessitates comprehensive training for all transportation staff, especially when administration of medication is involved.
For all these reasons and more, student transportation needs to be better integrated into the IEP process from the beginning, rather than being left out of the loop.
To do so, the panel suggested:
• Develop a transportation team that include representatives from nursing, special education, physical/occupational therapy, and other relevant departments. This team can create guidance for IEP teams on key transportation-related questions to address.
• Advocate for transportation staff to attend IEP meetings, when possible, especially for students with significant medical, behavioral or mobility needs. This ensures their input is heard and transportation-specific accommodations are included.
• Provide training for all school bus drivers, not just those on specialized routes, on common medical conditions, emergency procedures, and safely assisting students with complex needs. Leverage school nurses, therapists and other experts to provide this training.
• Work with state and local lawmakers to ensure transportation is treated as a related service under IDEA, with clear requirements for training, staffing and equipment. Use regulations to push for the resources needed to transport students safely.
• Foster open communication and relationships with parents. Parents can be powerful allies in ensuring their child’s transportation needs are met, and they may be willing to share critical medical information that the school district lacks.
The goal, the panel shared, is for school districts to develop comprehensive training programs for all school bus drivers and aides so they are equipped with information they need when transporting students who are medically fragile. Could a system, perhaps within routing software, flag student medical conditions and intervention plans? Could a centralized directory of student medical conditions and emergency plans be created and distributed to transportation staff? Do transporters have access to student emergency medications on the bus? How are student transportation requests received, and do they include the necessary medical plans and information? Important questions all of them. What more could you ask in your operations and of your school district?
Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the January 2025 issue of School Transportation News.
Q’STRAINT, the worldwide leader in Wheelchair Passenger Safety Solutions, is synonymous with safety. Securement is one element of traveling that passengers rarely consider, simply because it’s expected. But that was not always true for mobility passengers in school buses or even public transit. For over 35 years, Q’STRAINT has developed technology that addresses the questions and concerns of securement for mobility passengers.
Today, Q’STRAINT’s trailblazing technology is used every day, all over the world and has become the gold standard in wheelchair securement; and the benefits of their most recent technologies extend to not just to passengers, but to drivers and transportation companies as well.
Q’STRAINT believes that all mobility passengers deserve access to the same level of safety as those around them. From research and development to engineering and support, Q’STRAINT provides innovative solutions that makes safety accessible. Q’STRAINT’s products have transformed the way mobility passengers travel by simplifying and speeding up the securement process, providing passenger independence and decreasing dwell times. They work on-site and hands-on with real mobility riders, drivers, maintenance directors and transit properties to improve and iterate on new products.
Q’STRAINT’s ‘promise’ is to Make Safety Accessible for All, and this promise extends into all areas of operation and influence: Quality, Testing, Standards, Training, Products, and Beyond.
But technology alone is never enough. Q’STRAINT continues to be at the forefront of defining and establishing securement regulations worldwide. They also work with global standards groups to ensure that safety becomes accessible for wheelchair passengers in every country — guaranteeing the highest levels of safety for all.
Innovative Technology: Taking the guesswork out of securement
Q’STRAINT ONE is an all-in-one wheelchair securement station that replaces the many parts and obstacles of traditional 4-point securement with a simplified single platform system.
Q’STRAINT ONE gets back to basics by making securement simple and straightforward with visible indicators, audible feedback, and push button operation, allowing operators to proceed with confidence even with even the most difficult mobility devices.
The system helps reduce liability by standardizing securement procedures and training as across fleets by having everyone follow the same process. The all-in-one design reduces the guesswork associated with properly anchoring securements into the vehicle floor, as well as alleviating concerns about missing parts and storing system components.
Finally, Q’STRAINT ONE is the only vehicle integrated wheelchair securement solution that has been fully crash tested to meet all current ADA standards. It’s a single approach to safety that makes every securement a simple process.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
A sample screenshot displays the type of real-time tracking data that Zonar Ground Traffic Control can provide student transporters, in this case using a van to pick up a student who is homeless. Photo provided by Zonar. Cover design by Kimber Horne
The first issue of 2025 highlights transporting students with special needs and disabilities. Read more about considerations of using non-yellow school bus vehicles, handling student behavior advice from TSD Conference speakers, how transportation can utilize Medicaid reimbursement, how to create a transportation plan for students with special needs and more! Also check out the 2024 TSD Conference Recap.
Atypical Student Transportation
Using non-school bus vehicles such as vans is nothing new but never so widespread, especially to address increasing rates of students being classified with disabilities and who are experiencing homelessness. Cost savings can be had, but at what price for safety?
Features
It’s All About Communication
TSD Conference attendees learn from experts on what students with disabilities are really saying when exhibiting behaviors on school buses.
Hurricane Response
Student transporters discuss how their operations were pressed into action by Hurricanes Helene and Milton as well as the lessons they learned for the next big storm.
TSD Conference Recap
See some of the action from the industry’s premier event for the transportation of students with disabilities and special needs. Read more about sessions throughout the magazine.
It was like a movie scene. Corrin Reynolds, transportation manager at San Jose USD in California, was chatting with a colleague at Tyler Technologies’ Connect conference when someone approached him with an idea: What if we could integrate a ride-share service with your student transportation software? Reynolds said, “Put that in my contract.”
Connecting Student Transportation Solutions
San Jose USD was already using an alternative transportation solution and Tyler’s Student Transportation software, and Reynolds immediately saw the potential of connecting those solutions to better serve students and increase efficiency. Unfortunately, their existing alternative transportation provider wasn’t interested. “They balked at the idea that we would be able to see some of the information in their system,” said Reynolds. But, to him, that information sharing was a benefit.
Connections like these are the purpose of Tyler Technologies’ Onboard Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) network. It’s a one-stop data exchange that uses Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to bridge the silos of information between transportation technology providers, empowering transportation managers with more customization and flexibility to support their communities’ needs.
ADROIT, an Onboard iPaaS integrator and a company with roots in special needs transportation, specializes in the ride-share style alternative transportation that San Jose USD requires to best meet the needs of its students.
“For trips where it doesn’t make sense to send a bus, such as McKinney Vento students who need to travel well outside the district or students with special needs or IEPs who don’t do well in a school bus environment, we use a car service to get those kids to and from school,” said Reynolds.
The district switched to ADROIT for alternative transportation, and they’ve started to connect it with the data from their Tyler Student Transportation software through Onboard iPaaS.
“The ADROIT drivers have the same comprehensive information our bus drivers would have, including the routes built in Student Transportation and the students’ information. And we get information back from them, such as incident reports,” he said. Sharing this information between their solutions helps the San Jose USD transportation department keep their routes efficient and their reporting up to date. But it’s only the beginning of Reynolds’ vision of what’s possible with deeper integrations.
Looking Ahead to Seamless Connections
The San Jose USD transportation department is looking forward to more data from ADROIT flowing into their Tyler Student Transportation system to help increase efficiency.
“We want to look at AVL data and the planned versus actual run times to see where we can make improvements,” Reynolds said. Centralizing this information alongside their school bus data will help the district see the full picture of their transportation operation and keep it running smoothly.
Reynolds is also eager to see ADROIT’s data in the district’s Student Transportation software to improve transparency. “We’re working toward having information from their drivers import into our GPS system so we can see where the vehicle is, make sure they’re going where they need to go, and getting there on time.”
As the integrations progress, the students’ information and assigned runs will match up seamlessly to provide real-time updates on student pick-ups and drop-offs. “That’s the benefit I saw right away when I first heard the idea,” he said. “I want to be able to track our kids and take care of our kids. That’s what we’re here for.”
To learn more about Tyler’s Onboard iPaaS and the network of integrators, register for their upcoming virtual panel discussion.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
An Orange Unified School District school bus in Southern California was involved in a crash with a SUV that resulted in hospitalization for the victims but they are expected to recover.
Michael L. Christensen, superintendent of Orange Unified School District (OUSD), released a statement saying that two students and the school bus driver were onboard Monday at the time of the incident and have been transported to local hospitals.
The Orange County Fire Authority responded to the scene of the incident and stated that there three adults and two children sustained injuries. They were all transported in stable but serious condition. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the crash.
“Our hearts go out to our students, the driver, and their loved ones during this challenging time,” said Christensen. “We are deeply grateful to the first responders for their quick response and support, and we are working with the California Highway Patrol on their investigation.
Industry expert, NAPT Hall of Famer, TSD Tenured Faculty Member, and consultant Linda Bluth, Ed.D joins us for the first time on the podcast to share insights on students with special needs. She addresses the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), departmental collaboration, aides, alternative transportation, substitute drivers, training and more.
New Zonar CEO Charles Kriete discusses the technology provider’s combination with GPS Trackit, as well as efficiencies and innovations planned for the future.
Meeting the daily challenges of transporting children with disabilities is real and
complex. These challenges are not new, but they are increasingly multifaceted. On top of the challenge list in many school districts is driver shortages, followed by the cost of transportation services. What can be overwhelming is the increase in competing priorities to safely transport children with disabilities.
The pressure resulting from how to accomplish safe transportation for these children can result in inadequate decision-making. Guided by the principles of safety, responsibility and entitlement under federal and state law it is imperative to aspire to respond to challenges for safe transportation of children with disabilities by timely addressing the “Do’s and Don’ts” under pressure. I am realizing more and more about the importance of knowing what is and is not required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
In addition to federal law, it is critical to be well-versed about state law pertaining to the related service of transportation for eligible children under the IDEA. Under the
IDEA Part B regulations, transportation is defined as a related service that includes: “(i) Travel to and from school and between schools; (ii) Travel in and around school buildings; and (iii) Specialized equipment (such as special or adapted buses, lifts, and ramps), if required to provide special transportation for a child with a disability.” (34 CFR §300.34(c)(16).
At first glance, this IDEA definition appears clear. In reality, unique individual child transportation requirements necessitate extensive knowledge about the related service of transportation and its explicit requirements.
Understanding the role of the individualized education program (IEP) team’s responsibility under the IDEA to develop, approve and implement the related service transportation is essential. Approved transportation services should always be documented in the IEP to avoid misunderstandings and potential IDEA compliance violations. The IEP team meeting should always include all the qualified personnel necessary to make an informed decision, including the parent.
Don’t make unilateral transportation decisions without the attendance of all stakeholders that are required for implementing an IEP. The following is an example of a costly mistake that happened multiple times during my career. The IEP team, under pressure from a single parent, required that a child be picked up first and dropped off last.
This was solely based upon the parent’s work schedule and not the needs of her child, based upon their disability. Unknown to transportation, the IEP team approved the request. It was not feasible to implement but still approved and written into the child’s IEP. The parent emphatically stated her request was “required under the IDEA.” The IEP team was intimidated and believed her.
This IEP decision resulted in a hearing officers’ requirement for the school district to add a new route to implement the approved IEP service. Can you imagine the unintentional effect of this IEP team’s unilateral decision? Make sure that the IEP team is fully knowledgeable about the IDEA transportation related service requirements, and do not make a decision based upon false information.
Another example of a costly mistake is when a parent at an IEP meeting claims, citing IDEA, their child is required to be transported to after-school care 17 miles away from
their home address. The IEP team unwisely believes the parent and approves their request.
The lesson to be learned is don’t believe everything that a person says without knowing how the IDEA addresses a specific issue. Be knowledgeable about what state law says on a specific topic and how the school district’s policies and procedures address the issue. In the previous example, it is likely that if the school district transports children without disabilities to requested after-school care or daycare, the school district will also be required to do so for children with disabilities as a matter of equity. These are just two examples of challenges whereby poor decision-making resulted in an avoidable costly error.
It is essential to know federal and state laws pertaining to transportation service eligibility requirements for children with disabilities. It is wise to rethink in advance
how to best provide these transportation services for children with disabilities. Utilizing school transportation data can improve decision-making. Accessing all funding sources helps to offset costly transportation services. One example is billing Medicaid when it is an allowable transportation expense.
Communication and coordination between multiple school district departments is key to problem-solving. It is key to be knowledgeable and current about best practices and school transportation literature concerning safe transportation of children with disabilities.
Editor’s Note: As reprinted in the November 2024 issue of School Transportation News.
Linda F. Bluth, Ed.D. is a national compliance and regulatory expert on IDEA transportation law and provisions. She is a tenured faculty member of the TSD Conference, a regular STN contributor, and a Hall of Fame member of the National Association for Pupil Transportation.
Casiano Perez said the Theodore Roosevelt quote “Believe you can and you’re halfway there” is an empowering statement that resonates with him. The quote reminds him that self-belief is crucial.
“When you start your day believing in your abilities, you’re more likely to tackle challenges with a positive mindset,” he said. “On tough days, this quote reminds me that a significant part of overcoming challenges lies in your mindset. Believing in your ability to find solutions can help you stay resilient and push through difficulties, whether it’s dealing with traffic delays, mechanical issues, or other unforeseen problems. This self-belief can also motivate you to keep striving for excellence, knowing that your efforts are making a difference in the students’ daily lives.”
Each year, School Transportation News chooses 10 Rising Stars based on nominations submitted by school districts and companies around the industry. These individuals have shown exemplary commitment and dedication in the student transportation industry and continue to demonstrate innovation in their roles. This year’s Rising Stars are featured in the November magazine issue.
Prior to joining the student transportation industy, Perez worked a couple of years a router for a food service company. Following his time with the food service company, he served in various roles — coordinating transportation for students with disabilities, managing schedules, and ensuring that all transportation activities adhered to school policies and state regulations — for a nonpublic school, expanding his experience. This experience, he said, allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and requirements of pupil transportation, particularly for students with disabilities.
In 2016, he joined the East San Gabriel Valley Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) as a transportation router. In this role, he designed and implemented efficient transportation routes for students with special needs. “My dedication and expertise quickly led to my promotion to transportation director, a position I have proudly held for the past five years,” he noted. “Throughout my career, I have consistently focused on improving transportation efficiency and ensuring the safety and well-being of students. My journey has been marked by continuous learning and a commitment to excellence in pupil transportation.”
His daily responsibilities as transportation director involve coordinating and managing various aspects of special education across 10 Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). Perez explained that he regularly communicates with the LEAs to ensure special education services are being delivered effectively. He also attends meetings with LEA representatives, parents, and other stakeholders to discuss student needs, program updates and compliance issues.
A significant part of his role, he said, includes overseeing the planning and optimization of over 120 special education transportation routes to ensure the safe and timely transport of approximately 1,000 special education students.
Other job duties include working with their transportation vendor, as he oversees the contract, and collaborating with bus drivers and transportation staff to address challenges.
“I ensure that Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are being implemented correctly and that all documentation is up to date, while staying informed about state and federal regulations related to special education to ensure compliance,” he added, noting that attending student IEP meetings is a key part of my role.
It’s during these meetings that he provides input and support to ensure that the educational plans meet the students’ needs. Perez also coordinates the allocation of resources, such as specialized equipment and support staff, “to meet the diverse needs of students, and organize training sessions and professional development opportunities for school bus drivers and transportation support staff,” he noted.
In terms of crisis management, Perez said he address any immediate issues or emergencies that arise, whether related to student behavior, transportation, or other concerns, and maintains open lines of communication with parents to address their concerns and provide updates on their child’s progress. “Every day is different and that’s what keeps things interesting,” he said.
Focus on Safety, Efficiency
Scott Turner, executive director of East San Gabriel Valley SELPA, wrote in his nomination that Perez is an amazing leader, being instrumental in creating a close partnership with school bus contractor Durham School Services that focuses on high-quality service, safety and efficiency, overcoming barriers such as varying school district calendars, strict parameters on ride time, and serving primarily a moderate/severe population.
Casiano Perez looks to provide safe and efficient support of students with special needs.
“Mr. Perez has developed and maintained ongoing meetings of a safety committee, regular professional development, hands-on emergency planning and numerous processes and policies that have been instrumental in providing services to the ten school districts,” Turner added. “… Mr. Perez has been regularly recognized by parents, superintendents, special education directors, and his peers for his dedication to improving services for students with disabilities.”
Perez explained that he has expanded on several key projects during his time as director to enhance safety and efficiency. One of those focuses has been on staff training and development for school bus drivers. East San Gabriel Valley SELPA implemented a comprehensive student management training program that educates drivers on various disabilities they may encounter and how to effectively support those students while on the school bus.
“Additionally, we have dedicated significant time to emergency planning training to ensure that our drivers are well-prepared to respond to any emergencies, whether they occur inside or outside the school bus,” he added. “This holistic approach ensures that our drivers are equipped with the necessary skills and tools to handle a wide range of situations, ultimately providing a safer and more supportive environment for our students.”
A recent challenge amid school start-up was, you guessed it, the driver shortage. Perez said it continues to be a significant hurdle for not only their operations, but across the industry. To address it, he said, they worked to establish a strong partnership with Durham, which helps them maintain a steady pipeline of trained drivers.
Transportation staff also ensures that ongoing training and support are provided to the drivers to help them with the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully transport all students.
“Additionally, throughout the year, in collaboration with Durham, we participate in lunches on special occasions such as Love the Bus Month, School Bus Driver Week, Valentine’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, and other events to help keep morale high,” Perez added. “This proactive approach helps us mitigate the impact of driver shortages and maintain a high standard of service.”
Other initiatives to boost driver morale include regularly acknowledging and rewarding outstanding performance through awards and certificates, offering ongoing training and development programs to help drivers advance in their driving careers as well as maintaining open lines of communication between drivers and management, encouraging feedback and suggestions.
“These efforts help drivers feel valued, appreciated, and involved in decision-making processes,” he said.
Going Forward
Within the next five years he said he sees the East San Gabriel Valley SELPA continuing to transform to become more efficient, inclusive and environmentally friendly. Perez said his goal is to create a system where every student, regardless of their special needs, has access to safe and reliable transportation. To achieve this, the plan is to fully integrate technology in all aspects of their transportation operations. This, he said, will ensure safety and efficiency to optimize routes, reduce travel times and improve communication channels between the SELPA, parents, and the community, which is essential to ensure transparency and foster collaboration.
“Additionally, we are continuously upgrading our safety protocols and infrastructure to create a secure environment for all students,” he said. “These goals reflect our commitment to creating a supportive, innovative, and inclusive educational environment for all our students.”
In working with Durham, East San Gabriel Valley SELPA is committed to transitioning to a greener fleet by incorporating electric vehicles.
“I would also like to expand training programs for school bus drivers to include specialized training in handling the unique needs of our students, ensuring a compassionate and supportive environment,” he said of future projects. “Through these initiatives, I aim to create a transportation system that not only meets the logistical needs of our students but also supports their overall well-being and educational success.”
Above all, Perez said his favorite part of his job, is the opportunity to make a positive impact on students’ lives every day.
“Every day, I get to ensure that these students have a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable journey to and from school,” he said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see their smiles and know that I’m contributing to their overall well-being and educational experience.”
Plus, he said, he enjoys the relationships that he’s built with the students and their families. “Understanding their unique needs and preferences allows me to provide personalized care and support, which can make a significant difference in their day,” he said. “The trust and appreciation from both the students and their parents are truly heartwarming and motivating.”
He explained that having close family members with special needs makes the work even more meaningful to him. “It drives me to do everything I can to be an advocate for these students, ensuring they receive the care and support they deserve,” he said.
Outside of work, he spends his time going to his children’s sporting activities. His oldest daughter plays club soccer, and his son plays baseball, which adds up to a busy weekend. When Perez does have free time, he and his wife enjoy bike riding and participating in local 5-10K charity runs. They are fans of the outdoors and enjoy camping or off-roading.
Keynote trainers and conversations at the TSD Conference and Trade Show last week focused on seeing students with special needs as people first and consistently supporting them in their distinctive requirements.
“I always ask: ‘Is this in the best interest of the kid?’” Dana Rosen, TSD keynote speaker and assistant director of transportation services for student safety and support for Cypress-Fairbanks ISD in Texas, shares how she uses her special education background to support both transportation staff and students with special needs on the school bus ride.
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Pete Meslin is a TSD Conference advisor and a retired director of transportation for Newport-Mesa Unified School District in California. He authored the “Bus in the Classroom” program to teach students with disabilities how to safely prepare for and ride school buses.
Linda F. Bluth, Ed.D. is a national compliance and regulatory expert on IDEA transportation law and provisions. She is a tenured faculty member of the TSD Conference, a regular STN contributor, and a Hall of Fame member of the National Association for Pupil Transportation.
