Max
12-13-2002, 05:23 PM
Disabled student can ride regular bus, says state
By: KRISTIAN GOVE December 13, 2002
The student, who has a mobility impairment requiring the use of canes or a walker, otherwise has no other disabilities that would prevent him from riding a regular bus.
The student's parent originally petitioned the Coventry School Department regarding the student's desire to ride a regular bus. The education commission stated in its finding that, "This is an unusual case in that both the petitioning parent and the respondent school district agree on how this case should come out..."
Both parent and school department wished to see the student ride the regular education bus. However, the bus company, Laidlaw, according to commission information, "insisted" that the student ride the special education bus per contract stipulation.
State law requires that students be given the "least restrictive" environment in which to travel to and from school.
In the resulting discussion, the commission ruled that the student could ride the regular education bus, but still needed to hear the bus company's reasoning via a show cause hearing.
However, Coventry Schools Special Education Director Kathryn Memory said Tuesday that the situation had been resolved, and that the student had been able to ride the regular education bus beginning that day. "We've been trying to resolve that for a long time and we are pleased that the situation is resolved," Memory said.
"We reluctantly agreed with the decision [of the education commission]," said Laidlaw Southern New England General Manager Keith Galloway. Galloway did say however that Laidlaw, which operates nationwide, isn't sure whether it agrees with the decision of the independent physical therapist that determined that the student could ride the regular education bus.
"Our company position," Galloway said, "is that physically challenged students should be transported on special needs buses." Galloway said that special education buses are designed to handle the needs of students who require greater assistance.
Galloway added that if the student falls in an emergency situation and blocks an emergency exit, they could jeopardize the safety of the approximately 60 other students riding the bus.
What seems to have troubled Galloway more so than the decision, was the fact that no one from either the school district or the education commission bothered to contact Laidlaw for its input into the matter.
"I find that very interesting," Galloway said. "If I had known this was an issue, I would have insisted on a hearing," Galloway said. The bus company never got a chance to provide input, he said.
And that happens a lot, Galloway said. Rarely do school districts consult the transportation company when determining Individual Education Programs (IEP) for students with special needs.
Galloway said also that if a special needs student, for example, falls getting off the bus, Laidlaw is responsible, not the school district. "We bear 100 percent of the liability," Galloway said. Since the responsibility of student transportation safety falls on the shoulders of Laidlaw, Galloway said that the school district and the education commission should have consulted the bus company before rendering a decision.
©The Coventry Courier 2002
By: KRISTIAN GOVE December 13, 2002
The student, who has a mobility impairment requiring the use of canes or a walker, otherwise has no other disabilities that would prevent him from riding a regular bus.
The student's parent originally petitioned the Coventry School Department regarding the student's desire to ride a regular bus. The education commission stated in its finding that, "This is an unusual case in that both the petitioning parent and the respondent school district agree on how this case should come out..."
Both parent and school department wished to see the student ride the regular education bus. However, the bus company, Laidlaw, according to commission information, "insisted" that the student ride the special education bus per contract stipulation.
State law requires that students be given the "least restrictive" environment in which to travel to and from school.
In the resulting discussion, the commission ruled that the student could ride the regular education bus, but still needed to hear the bus company's reasoning via a show cause hearing.
However, Coventry Schools Special Education Director Kathryn Memory said Tuesday that the situation had been resolved, and that the student had been able to ride the regular education bus beginning that day. "We've been trying to resolve that for a long time and we are pleased that the situation is resolved," Memory said.
"We reluctantly agreed with the decision [of the education commission]," said Laidlaw Southern New England General Manager Keith Galloway. Galloway did say however that Laidlaw, which operates nationwide, isn't sure whether it agrees with the decision of the independent physical therapist that determined that the student could ride the regular education bus.
"Our company position," Galloway said, "is that physically challenged students should be transported on special needs buses." Galloway said that special education buses are designed to handle the needs of students who require greater assistance.
Galloway added that if the student falls in an emergency situation and blocks an emergency exit, they could jeopardize the safety of the approximately 60 other students riding the bus.
What seems to have troubled Galloway more so than the decision, was the fact that no one from either the school district or the education commission bothered to contact Laidlaw for its input into the matter.
"I find that very interesting," Galloway said. "If I had known this was an issue, I would have insisted on a hearing," Galloway said. The bus company never got a chance to provide input, he said.
And that happens a lot, Galloway said. Rarely do school districts consult the transportation company when determining Individual Education Programs (IEP) for students with special needs.
Galloway said also that if a special needs student, for example, falls getting off the bus, Laidlaw is responsible, not the school district. "We bear 100 percent of the liability," Galloway said. Since the responsibility of student transportation safety falls on the shoulders of Laidlaw, Galloway said that the school district and the education commission should have consulted the bus company before rendering a decision.
©The Coventry Courier 2002