I have a question about special education transportation and school times. We started my children in a new school in December. I have four children — all with special needs. Two of these children have to ride a special bus. It took me until February to get this done at our new school district.
Well, the problem is that school hours are 8-3. They are picking my children up around 8:50 in the morning and dropping them off at 2:20 in the afternoon. We are eleven miles from the school and these children are in two different schools — one in elementary and one in middle. They are missing about 10 hours of school a week! And today I was told by my 6th graders teacher that the work he is missing when he is picked up at 2:00 would help him. She asked if I wanted her to send it home with him each day.
What can I do? Clearly if I were to get my children to school late everyday and picked them up an hour early they would turn me in to DCS! I have called to try to set up a meeting with the county’s special education director but she has not called me back yet.
Dear Vanessa,
Your question raises a very important issue resulting from the limitations on your children’s school day to their being picked up late and being returned home early in the afternoon because of their bus schedule.
Under the IDEA, your child is entitled to equal educational services and to the level of educational services necessary to provide them a free appropriate public education. If they are missing needed services because of the bus schedule, it is hard to imagine how their program could then be meeting the right of a free appropriate public education.
Topic
Special Education