Q&A
Lack of after-school bus service for students with disabilities
1:52:05
·
88 sec
Council Member Rita Joseph raises concerns about the lack of after-school bus service for students with disabilities. Glenn Risbrook explains the current limitations and potential solutions.
- Current bus contracts do not allow for busing after 6 PM or for after-school programs
- The department emphasizes the need for EPP (Employee Protection Provisions) legislation change to address this issue
- As an alternative, rideshare is offered for the most vulnerable students, including those with IEPs, in temporary housing, or in foster care
- The lack of after-school transportation affects students' ability to participate in extended day programs and impacts their social experiences
Rita Joseph
1:52:05
then and you will share with me once certainly you'll have it.
1:52:07
Mhmm.
1:52:09
Couple of things with summarizing, which we always hear every year.
1:52:15
We get our students students with disabilities that cannot participate in the after school program due to the lack of bus service.
1:52:23
Will this ever be addressed?
Glenn Risbrook
1:52:26
Yes, chair.
1:52:28
That's why our current bus contracts and you hearing it's over and over and over again from us.
1:52:34
Do not allow for busing for 6 PM in the summer.
1:52:37
It does not allow for busing in after school.
1:52:40
Doesn't allow for us to to provide any of these services after normal school hours that the the administration may want or some of you may want.
1:52:48
So that's why it's very important that we we get that that EPP legislation change so we can put out the bid to accommodate what you're asking for for folks to be at for service to be at flexible to handle these students?
Rita Joseph
1:53:02
Yeah.
1:53:02
Because we every summer, our almost vulnerable students have to go home at 3 while they watch their friends stay for extended day.
1:53:09
And and I'm sure I'm sure parents would also benefit from having extended day.
1:53:15
And I wanna be with my friends too, and I I have to leave just because I ride on a bus.
1:53:20
You know?
1:53:20
That does impact the child.
Glenn Risbrook
1:53:22
One thing I will say is that we do offer rideshare I know it's not a perfect solution, but we do offer rideshare for our most vulnerable students who are IPs, temporary housing, forced to care for their content summarizing us since PM.
