Q&A
Process for providing paraprofessionals on school buses
0:38:29
·
142 sec
Council Member Rita Joseph inquires about the process of providing paraprofessionals for students who need them during transportation. DOE officials explain the current system and challenges.
- The need for a paraprofessional is noted in the student's record and considered during routing
- Schools are responsible for arranging transportation paraprofessionals
- Currently, about 2,800 students are recommended for IEP paraprofessionals
- There's a shortage of about 330 paraprofessionals for transportation
- In the interim, schools offer rideshare services to affected families
- Contracted agencies are being called upon to secure transportation paraprofessionals
Rita Joseph
0:38:29
Quick question for you.
0:38:31
I had we had a lot of calls about that parent parents, students who need to travel with I with a para professional.
0:38:36
How does that work?
Glenn Risbrook
0:38:39
Well, I could on the routing end is what the the student will have that the need for power in his in his student record.
0:38:47
And then when we route, we route making sure that there's there is the capacity for the student.
0:38:51
And the power of professional, but I'll turn it over to my colleague to go through.
Rita Joseph
0:38:55
Thank you, Daniel.
John Hammer
0:38:56
Good morning, Trish Rose.
0:38:58
So thank you for the question.
0:38:59
John Hammer, Chief of the Division of Inclusive And Accessible Learning.
0:39:03
You are Our power professionals are some of our hardest working members of our schools.
0:39:09
And, you know, the arrangement of transportation power professional services has been one that has been historically has been a bit of the challenges for our schools to to arrange for for students.
0:39:22
And that's, you know, our schools are asking our power professionals in in, you know, after a very long day of supporting students in the school to to work, go to the child's home in advance of the school.
0:39:34
They travel back with that student after after the school day.
0:39:37
The vast majority of schools are doing this very well.
0:39:40
And so schools will, as students are recommended, those schools will post locally for the transportation power professional to fill that mandate.
0:39:48
Many of our our power professionals, our schools are stepping forward and are doing that work.
0:39:53
In the event that a full time power professional cannot be identified at that school, a substitute power professional will be seek a school will seek to secure a substitute power professional to step in and fill that need.
0:40:05
And so that is happening in our schools each and every day.
0:40:09
In the event that the school is not How
Rita Joseph
0:40:11
many powers do you have?
John Hammer
0:40:12
Yes.
0:40:13
I
Rita Joseph
0:40:13
do.
0:40:13
Currently, accompanying students.
John Hammer
0:40:15
So right now, they're around 2800 students that are recommended for IEP Power Professionals.
0:40:21
And schools have not been able yet to secure Power Professional services for around 330 students.
0:40:27
Those students are in the process of getting arranged services through our contracted agencies.
0:40:33
And so that work is ongoing right now.
0:40:35
In the interim, our schools have have offered those those families rideshare services.
0:40:40
And so many of our families are taking advantage of that while our contract our our contract agencies are being called on to secure transportation power professionals for these students.
