It is the
mission of the Pearland ISD Transportation Department to provide
safe, efficient, and professional transportation services for
the students of Pearland ISD while supporting the district
educational mission. It is also our duty to provide appropriate
transportation services to meet the needs of students with
special needs ensuring their right to access a free and appropriate
public education. This page provides the parent/guardian of
students requiring special transportation as a related service
with information specific to special needs transportation.
Transportation
Information Form
Students requiring special transportation as a related service must be registered
with the Transportation Department before special transportation can be arranged.
This process begins when the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee
meets and determines that special education is needed as a related service. At
the time of the ARD meeting, the parent/guardian will complete the Transportation
Information Form. It is important that this form is complete and accurate as
transportation services will be provided only as indicated on the paperwork.
Once the form is complete and signed, Special Programs staff will review the
form and forward it to the Transportation Department to schedule the student
for transportation services. Once the Transportation Information Form
is received in the Transportation Department, there may be a three (3) day turn-around
period before services begin. A new Transportation Information Form
must be completed for each student annually to ensure that information is accurate
and up to date. When the parent/guardian requires a change in the transportation
services for their child, a new Transportation Information Form must be completed
in the Special Programs office. Special Programs staff will then forward the
new form to the Transportation Department. Once the form is received in the Transportation
Department, there may be a three (3) day turn-around period before the change
in services can begin.
Transportation
Services
Transportation is provided in a “curb-to-curb” fashion for students
with special needs. This means that the district will provide transportation
services to students with special needs from a point as close as practicable
to the student’s home and deliver the student to the assigned campus
where the campus staff will receive the student in the bus loading zone. Due
to the design of a neighborhood or other safety factors, it may not be possible
in ALL locations to pick students up directly in front of their homes. Department
employees will not be responsible for approaching or entering the home of any
student in order to receive or deliver the student.
Time
Schedule
At the beginning of the school year, the driver or monitor on each bus will
call the parents/guardians of each student to inform them of the expected pick-up
and drop-off times for their child. Every effort will be made to adhere to
this time; however, when changes occur such as adding or removing students
from the route notification will be made to the parent/guardian of each student
concerning the change in time schedule. Please ensure that your child is ready
to board the bus five to seven minutes before the anticipated arrival of the
bus. If the bus arrives and the student is not ready to load the bus, the driver
will wait three (3) minutes and then proceed on the route. Drivers will not
honk to alert you of the arrival of the bus.
Passenger
Safety Restraint Systems
Buses intended for the transportation of students with special needs are equipped
with seatbelts to ensure the safety of the students being transported. The
use of seatbelts is required for all students being transported on special
needs buses. In addition to seatbelts, supplemental passenger safety restraints
are available such as car seats and safety-vests. For information on these
supplemental passenger safety restraints, contact the Special Programs office.
Student
Behavior
Special consideration is taken with students with disabilities who have difficulty
maintaining appropriate behavior. Staff training is provided annually to assist
drivers and monitors to effectively address inappropriate behavior. However,
behavior that jeopardizes the safety of the student or any other student or
staff member on the bus will not be tolerated. If the bus arrives to pick-up
a student and that student is behaving in a manner that could jeopardize safety,
the student will not be transported at that time. The parent/guardian may contact
the Transportation Department to transport their child later if the behavior
has improved, or the parent/guardian may elect to transport the student.
Change
in Personnel
At times, it is necessary to send a substitute driver, substitute monitor,
or both driver and monitor on a bus route. When this happens, it is not possible
to make notification to the parent/guardian of each student being transported
on that bus that there will be a change. When there is a permanent change in
personnel on a particular bus route, that information will be communicated
to the parent/guardian of each student being transported on that bus.
Authorizing
Others to Receive Your Child
There is a section on the Transportation Information Form that allows the parent/guardian
to designate others who are permitted to receive their child from the bus in
the event that the parent/guardian is unable to receive their child. The individuals
listed to receive the child must be prepared to show proof of identification
to the driver before the student will be released from the bus. If positive
identification is not provided, the student will be returned to school. If
a person is present to receive the child and that person is not listed on the
Transportation Information Form, the child will be returned to school.
Stop
Locations
Students will not be permitted to have “fluctuating schedules.” This
means that students will not be permitted to have certain days of the week
on which to pick-up or drop-off at one location, and then another location
the rest of the week. Fluctuating schedules introduce too much of a risk for
safety to the student by the driver delivering the student to the wrong location.
The pick-up location may be different from the drop-off location, provided
that it is indicated on the Transportation Information Form.
Driver
and Monitor Responsibilities
The driver and monitor are responsible for ensuring the safe transportation
of students to and from school. The driver and monitor cannot be responsible
for conveying verbal or written messages between the teacher and the parent/guardian
or for transferring medication between home and school.
Frequently
Asked Questions
What if I have an emergency and need to make a temporary change
to my child’s transportation arrangements?
Changes may be made in an emergency situation by providing a written authorization
to the Transportation Department in person or by fax explaining the necessary
change in detail, including who may receive the child from the bus.
What
happens if no authorized person is present to receive my
child and I have not authorized my child to be left alone?
If an authorized person is not present at the bus stop to receive your child
when the bus arrives, the bus will wait three (3) minutes, then continue the
route. At the end of the route, the student will be returned to school.
How do
I make long-term changes to my child’s transportation
arrangements?
Contact the Special Programs office at the Pearland ISD Education Support Center
to begin the process. A new Transportation Information Form must be completed.
Special Programs staff will then forward the form to the Transportation Department
to schedule the changes. Once the form is received in the Transportation Department,
there may be a three (3) day turn-around period before services begin.
Who do
I contact for information?
Pearland ISD Transportation Department
3202 E. Plum
(281) 485-3562
(281) 412-1123 – FAX
Mark McKinney, Director of Transportation
Jack Franklin, Assistant Director of Transportation
Fred Dickens, Transportation Supervisor
Lisa Heider, Transportation Student Manager
Tracii Rambo, Special Needs Route Coordinator
Pearland
ISD Special Programs Office
2337 N. Galveston
(281) 485-3203
(281) 412-1242 - FAX
Retta Cook, Director of Special Programs
