Expert speakers at the Transporting Students with Disabilities and Special Needs (TSD) Conference will provide attendees with a solid foundation to provide transportation for students with special needs.The “Foundations of Special Needs Transportation” session will be held on Friday, Nov. 7 to open up the conference. The three-hour session will feature panelists Alexandra Robinson, president at A. Robinson Consulting, and newly inducted NAPT hall of famer, Katrina Morris, executive director for Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation (MAPT), and John Benish, chief operating officer at school bus contractor Cook-Illinois Corporation.
The panelists will discuss federal laws and regulations pertaining to the transportation of students with special needs, including a breakdown of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the meaning of a free and appropriate education (FAPE) and least restrictive environment (LRE), and McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act details.
The instructors will also cover operational considerations, including child passenger safety equipment, training for drivers to accommodate student needs, how to make sure transportation needs are included in student Individual Education Plans or IEPs and vehicle specifications. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and review scenarios to determine what best practices for transporting students with special needs would be.
The TSD Conference will be held Nov. 6 through Nov. 11 at Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Hotel and Convention Center. Visit tsdconference.com to register and view the conference agenda, which includes dozens of educational sessions, hands-on training, networking events, product demonstrations and keynotes all focused on transportation of students with special needs.
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