The Transporting Students with Disabilities and Preschoolers Conference

Contributed by Judy Shanley

Members of the National Association for Pupil Transportation and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services convened to address the pressing issues affecting student transportation. The complexities of transporting students with significant medical and health needs, topics related to bullying, and methods and procedures pertinent to the safe and reliable transportation of students with disabilities to and from the school door were foremost on the minds of meeting attendees.

The conference stimulated thoughts of

• How we can use the opportunities that students have to ride yellow school buses in early grades, as a foundation to help them learn about accessible transportation in later grades.

• How school transportation professionals can work hand and hand with school academic professionals, including general and special educators, to integrate content about accessible transportation into curriculum.

• A continuum of accessible transportation supports for students that represents a seamless cohesion across student transportation and adult transportation systems.

The Transporting Students with Disabilities and Preschoolers Conference shows promise in the possibilities for collaboration.