Tackling transportation services through a nurse letter
When our autistic daughter entered 7th grade, she lost school bus transportation, because bus service was not included in her IEP. However, her diagnosis of autism qualified her for bus transportation. I talked to transportation, and the special education departments to learn what steps were needed to restore bus service. I learned that there were two options:
to have the school nurse provide a letter stating a need for bus service, and/or
have my daughter's IEP. updated to include bus service.
I started with contacting the school nurse. We worked on the paperwork together. I was planning on setting up a meeting to update my daughter's IEP. as well. Then one day, I got a letter in the mail detailing my daughter's bus information, so having an IEP. meeting was not necessary.
One other thing to note is that we have been able at different times to have flexibility with bus drivers with scheduling. For example, there were two mornings when I needed to take my daughter to school early for musical instrument classes, and the bus driver knew that she wouldn't need bus service those mornings. If there is good communication with bus drivers, I have found that they have been flexible with specific schedules.
Lessons learned?
If you share a goal with staff at BPS they will generally work with you to find a solution. There may be more than one way to reach a goal.
Just because you can get services through an IEP doesn’t mean it’s always the shortest path.
Once you have services, talk with the service provider (in our case, the bus driver) to customize within reason - sometimes all you have to do is ask!