TSD Conference Panel Discusses Routing for Students with Special Needs

January 16, 2025

TSD 2025 attendees listen to speakers. Photo by Vincent Rios Design.

Routing students with special needs and disabilities requires pupil transportation professionals to implement innovative thinking and solutions to achieve the best outcomes, a panel of experts shared during the TSD Conference in Frisco, Texas in November.

The session was moderated by Kerry Somerville, chief executive officer of Transportation Planning Solutions in Gilbert, Arizona, who has nearly 40 years of experience in school bus routing and a personal connection to special needs transportation. His daughter has cerebral palsy and rode the school bus. He said he remembers vividly the many challenges his family endured when working with the school district to ensure their daughter received the transportation service she needed.

The TSD Conference conversation highlighted key strategies for optimizing services while keeping costs down.

Alemnesh Allen, special education transportation coordinator with Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, shared how flexible routing and technology are essential to managing the district’s 500 special education routes. With more than 135,000 students in the district, including 85,000 who are transported daily, Allen emphasized the importance of collaboration between school bus drivers, bus lot supervisors, and case managers.

“You can have special needs students on regular buses,” Allen explained. “We always consider how we can cut costs, including using alternative vehicles for longer trips.”

Kala Henkensiefken, special education transportation coordinator for Independent School District 31 in Bemidji, Minnesota, underscored similar points. In her rural district, which covers 700 square miles, she combines resources by using full-sized buses with three paraprofessionals to support students with higher-functioning abilities. This approach not only saves money but also integrates students with special needs into a regular bus environment.

“The kids would get on the bus and say, ‘Oh, I’m on a regular bus.’ It made them feel like their peers,” Henkensiefken noted.

Data was a recurring theme throughout the conversation, particularly when it comes to ensuring that the routing system reflects students’ unique needs. Henkensiefken shared her experience of initially struggling to enter the right information into the system, which confused both drivers and parents.

“I was routing it in the system but wasn’t getting the right data,” she explained. “We created a simple Google doc to collect vital information from parents, and over time, it helped streamline communication and made parents feel more involved in ensuring their child’s safety.”

Dana Rosen, assistant director of transportation specializing in student safety and campus support with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, Texas, stressed that clear, real-time communication with parents also plays a crucial role in minimizing complaints.

“If you use software with a parent app, you can give them more information and they feel more in control,” Rosen explained, adding that parents who can track bus schedules in real-time are less likely to call and feel more confident that their child is being safely transported.

One of the most significant challenges discussed was the integration of transportation with students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

“Transportation is part of the IEP,” noted Allen. “It’s critical that transportation professionals are involved in the IEP process.” However, this is often easier said than done. While Allen advocates for transparency and equitable treatment, she admitted that attending every IEP meeting is impractical due to resource constraints. Instead, she ensures that transportation professionals are well-educated about the unique needs outlined in the IEPs.

Henkensiefken echoed this sentiment, noting that even small changes in a student’s condition, such as a shift in mobility or medical requirements, must be considered when making transportation decisions.

“Sometimes a child who was once non-ambulatory is now able to walk, and those changes can affect their bus needs,” she continued.

This underscores the importance of regular updates and clear communication.

Driver shortages are another critical issue facing transportation departments, especially as districts struggle to compete with private companies like FedEx and Amazon for CDL-certified drivers. Rosen shared her solution: Bringing in non-CDL drivers and offering them opportunities to grow within the transportation program.

“We can’t keep enough CDL drivers, so we need to think outside the box,” she said, adding that many paraprofessionals or staff from other departments can be trained to drive, often with minimal additional training.

Both Rosen and Henkensiefken said they have found creative ways to utilize paraprofessionals in transportation, leveraging their existing relationships with students to enhance safety.

“They already know the kids,” Henkensiefken noted. “So, we adopt them under the transportation department. It’s a win-win.”

The panelists agreed that having a clear, transparent process is essential for smooth department operations. “If any change comes through, it should go through one central document,” Rosen said. “This ensures accountability and provides a log of everything. It’s vital for both safety and efficiency.”

Allen emphasized that communication with parents and schools is key to avoiding misunderstandings. “I remind people that you’d never put a child in a classroom with a new teacher without informing them first. It’s the same with transportation,” she said, adding that ensuring the right information gets to the right people at the right time makes all the difference in providing safe and effective transportation for students with special needs.

The panel discussion revealed that while the logistics of special needs transportation can be complex, there are many strategies to improve efficiency, reduce costs and ensure safety. By integrating technology, fostering clear communication and prioritizing collaboration between transportation professionals and families, districts can overcome challenges and better serve students with special needs. The key to success, the experts agreed, lies in staying flexible, data-driven and always focused on the well-being of the children being transported.