Schools need to develop and implement appropriate transportation plans for students with complex health/medical needs.
Some highlights from this American Academy of Pediatrics publication entitled School Bus Transportation of Children With Special Health Care Needs:
- School systems should provide a school nurse or trained aide when medically necessary to help ensure health-related problems occurring while children with special needs are on the school bus are properly managed.
- Children with special health care needs may need rescue medications for acute exacerbations of their medical condition. These medications and a school nurse or trained individual to administer them should be available at all times on board the vehicle.
- School transportation staff, in conjunction with the school nurse, should participate in the development of the transportation portion of the IEP or IFSP for children who have special transportation requirements.
- On-bus personnel should be apprised of aspects of a child’s medical condition and potential medical emergencies that are relevant to the child’s safety while on the bus.
- School bus transportation staff should participate in training programs annually and have resource materials available on the subject of transportation of children with special needs to ensure that they can provide the most current and proper services to children with special transportation requirements.
- An emergency medical information card or care plan should be available for the bus drivers for each student with special health care needs being transported. Substitute bus drivers also need to be aware of this information.
If you have concerns about your student’s health and well-being while traveling to school, we can assist with obtaining appropriate plans for transportation for students with medical needs.