Coinciding with the latest report from the American Association of School Administrators, superintendents are reporting how their schools address the behavior response and modification policies of seclusion and restraint for students with special needs. A Senate hearing took place on Capitol Hill Thursday to discuss alternatives for educators, and potentially school transporters.
Education Week reported that the hearing featured testimony from parents on the benefits of positive behavior reinforcement instead of seclusion and restraint in the classroom or on the school bus. AASA says seclusion and restraint is necessary to allow students with severe emotional issues and who can exhibit violent outbursts to attend school in the least restrictive environment. The association added that seclusion and restraint can be necessary to avoid further injury of the student in question, other students or teachers and other school employees.
Both disability advocate TASH and the Autism National Committee oppose seclusion and restraint. Instead, they support a federal bill to essentially outlaw the practices introduced in December by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).
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Those seeking to understand more of what is contained in MAP-21, the new federal highway appropriations bill passed by Congress last month and signed by President Obama last week, can visit a new website developed by the Federal Transit Administration. Links included changes in the law, one of which is being a slight rewording of the definition of public transportation that still does not include school bus service.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance noted that MAP-21, in effect for transportation programs for the next 27 months, seeks to improve motorcoach safety as well as study the safety impacts of certain exemptions from federal safety regulations and tighter CDL and driver training requirements. MAP-21 also develops a drug and alcohol clearinghouse.
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Fleet Equipment News wrote this week that Daimler Trucks, parent company of Thomas Built Buses, increased its global sales during the first five months of this year by 23 percent over the same period last year. In 2011, company revenues increased by 20 percent with EBIT up 40 percent and return on sales up 6.5 percent.
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Summer traditionally means barbecues as well as vacation and rest for student transporters and others in public education, but it’s also state and national conference season. For student transporters, that starts in earnest each May and runs through the end of July, when the STN EXPO in Reno, Nev., concludes. With the STN EXPO one week away, the Southeastern States Pupil Transportation Conference, this year held in Biloxi, Miss., concluded on Wednesday, and, at this writing, the National School Transportation Association was set to kick off its annual convention in Milwaukee. NSTA also hosts the 42nd annual School Bus Driver International Safety Competition to crown the best school bus drivers.
A couple of student transportation conferences remain this year, but after school starts, most notably the National Association for Pupil Transportation Summit and the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation annual conference, both of which are held in late October in Memphis, Tenn.
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This time of year, at least an election year, also ushers in the national political conventions that nominate each major party’s presidential candidate. ABC’s Tampa Bay, Fla., affiliate reported this week about school bus transportation plans being altered by the Hillsborough County Public Schools as the area prepares for the Republican National Convention next month. The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for early September in Charlotte, N.C., where it’s inevitable that similar plans are in development.
