Here are 12 questions parents should ask about a child’s school bus ride, both before that first trip and throughout the school year. Ask the special education department the contact for bus scheduling and call that person ahead of time to make sure your child is on the list. Find out when you should expect your pick-up time notification as well. And if you don’t get a response, call again. And again. Be polite but be persistent. Waiting until the first day of school to lodge your complaint means your child will probably miss the bus. If there’s particular information you need them to know—about a medical problem or a behavioral tactic, for example—make sure they have that information and be prepared to provide it yourself. Being on friendly terms with the bus personnel and appreciating that they often have a very difficult job can buy you and your child some goodwill. Let them know you want to hear about any problems, and do the same for the afternoon crew if it’s different. For older children, ask about seat belts or other restraining devices, and if you are not comfortable with them, speak to your IEP team about how these devices aren’t suitable for your child’s disability. Alternatively, for kids in wheelchairs, check ahead of time to ensure that the bus personnel has the equipment necessary to get your child on and off the bus and keep the chair restrained onboard. Never assume that circumstances will be as you expect. Call the transportation department and verify. You may not be able to get official notification of where the bus goes after your child boards, but that’s easily remedied. Just follow the bus to school on the first day. Traffic and weather being what they are, it’s impossible to ensure punctuality each and every day of the school year. But if the bus’s on-schedule arrival time is very early or late, that can negatively affect your child’s school day. This is where good relationships with teachers and bus personnel pay off. Ask them what time the bus gets to school. They may be as unhappy with it as you are. Your child may go into an auditorium or hallway or outdoor area for the time between bus and bell, and some aides may not go on duty until well after that time. If that will leave your child at risk of mistreatment or behavior problems, ask if other arrangements can be made. There may be a protected spot that children with special needs can go to or someone who can watch your child during this time. Have any arrangements spelled out in the IEP and make sure they’re in place on Day 1. On the other hand, that means the bus is likely pretty full and your child’s trip will take longer. It’s good to know one way or another because it can help you better discuss the day’s happenings with your child. You may find that your child memorizes which students are on which bus and the number of the bus they’re on. But do a little calculation and find out how much class time is actually being missed. If it’s an inappropriate amount, bring it up with the teacher and the IEP team. If the bus is intentionally arriving late in the morning, your child may be deprived of a significant amount of learning time, just for the sake of convenience. Find out which route the bus follows home, so you always have a general idea of where your child is and can discuss the sights your child passes when you’re driving together. Should you have a serious problem being home at the prescribed drop-off time, it doesn’t hurt to ask the bus personnel or the transportation department whether a route reconfiguration is possible. It may also be an option to have your child dropped off at a different destination in the afternoon. While you’re on the phone, also ask about emergency numbers. Who do you call if your child is staying home or if the bus is late in the morning, your child is not taking the bus home, or the bus is late getting home? Phone numbers that are used for one issue may not be used for another, and you’ll want to have all the right ones at your fingertips should a problem arise. If you do have the ability to drive your child yourself, then think long and hard about the answers to the questions above: the safety of the ride; the time your child spends on the bus or waiting for it outside of the classroom. There are benefits to being on the school premises twice a day that are worth considering, too.
