Special Needs Service

Belton ISD is pleased to provide quality educational services for your children. Our mission in Special Needs Transportation is to ensure your child arrives at school and returns home safely with care and thought given to their individual needs. Our success results from our commitment, skill, knowledge, understanding, and communication ability. All drivers and assistants participate in in-service training to expand and improve their driving skills and upgrade their knowledge of helping children with special needs.

 

There are currently 20 buses transporting students with special needs. In our system, everyone works hard to communicate needs and changes. When changes occur, routes must be revised, and time changes must be communicated to all parents. Please plan to transport your child to and from school after the Admissions, Review, and Dismissal Committee (ARD) meeting until busing can be established. All transportation paperwork must be turned in to the Transportation Office before the starting date can be set. After all the necessary paperwork arrives, the driver or the Transportation Office will call you within five (5) days to:

1. Introduce the driver and bus assistant.
2. Inform the parent how to contact Transportation.
3. Establish times and location for your child’s pick-up and drop-off.

As a parent, you can help support our mission by:

• Attending your child’s ARD committee meetings and Annual Reviews.
• Completing the Special Needs Transportation Information Sheet.
• Having your child ready to board the bus five (5) minutes before the scheduled pick-up time each morning.
• Being at the bus stop five (5) minutes prior to bus arrival. Drivers will not release the child until they see the responsible person at the stop.
• Calling the Transportation Office at 215-2150 and making an appointment to speak with the driver rather than delay them on route to transport other students.
• Notifying the Transportation Office (215-2150) as early as possible when your child will not be attending school. Failure to ride 3 consecutive days without notice, will result in suspension of service until the parent/guardian calls the Transportation Office and reinstates the service.
• Sharing information with the driver and/or assistant regarding changes in schedule, medical status or major personal disruptions that would seriously affect your child’s behavior.
• Communicating in writing any medical information, medication or student health status changes affecting your child’s transportation.
• Being open to information from the driver or assistant regarding their observations and concerns.
• Making sure your child goes to the restroom before boarding the bus.
• Students who are unable to utilize the bus steps, as stated in their ARD Transportation Services form, will be transported in an approved wheelchair to ensure safety. All wheelchairs must be WC19 approved and have properly operating lock brakes, footrests, armrests, and a safety belt. No student will be physically carried on or off the bus by the bus driver or assistant.

 

Special Needs Frequently Asked Questions

 

What happens if I’m not home to receive my child after school?

The driver is required to make visual contact with an adult before they can release a student. If no one is at the curb, personnel on the bus will contact the Transportation Office by radio. The Transportation Office will attempt to make contact by phone. If no adult is reached, the student will be transported back to their campus and may be picked up there by an adult. If the student is not picked up at the campus by closing time, the local police and/or the Department of Child Protective Services will be notified.

 

Why does it take up to five days to begin transportation services for my child?

When a new student is added to or dropped from a driver’s list, the time of pick-up and drop-off changes for all students. Parents need information as quickly as possible to adjust to these changes. The driver also needs information about their children before transporting them. The five day lead between notice and the start of transport allows for the processing of necessary information.

 

Why must my child be on the bus so long?

Curb-to-curb service requires the drivers to go to multiple locations (as many as 10-15) spread out over a large geographic area and transport students to locations that are often far away from the child’s school of residence. Our goal is no student to be on the bus for more than one hour daily.

 

Why can’t the bus get my child to school and home again on time? Does the schedule change?

Absences, new students added to a route, or students dropped from a route, can cause a delay in arrival or an early arrival at school or home.

 

Will the bus drop off my child where I work?

Transportation only provides service to and from the student’s place of residence unless approved by the ARD.

 

Whom do I call when I have questions or concerns?

If you have questions or concerns about transportation services for your child, please call 254-215-2150