Special Transportation

special transportation guide

Special transportation includes the need for different vehicles, equipment, procedures, and/or staff. The vast majority of special education students use the regular school bus system. Special transportation is provided when the IEP team determines that the student requires it in order to benefit from their special education programming. There is a detailed process for adding special transportation to the IEP, and steps must be taken prior to the IEP meeting if you are considering the addition of special transportation (see below).

Special Education Transportation Guidance_MASTER_November 2023.pdf

Situations Requiring Special Transportation

Health/Medical Condition: A health/medical condition exists which involves the safety of the child or others. Health issues may include seizures, oxygen equipment, fatigue that causes the student to fall asleep on the bus, assistive devices needed to maintain a sitting position, communication issues (hard of hearing, visually impaired, nonverbal), or assistance in walking up and down stairs.

Social Behavior: The student's bus conduct requires a different mode of transportation. This will only be offered after the school psychologist and/or Social Behavior Services Coordinator design, implement, and document two interventions for the regular bus.

Accessibility: The regular bus is not accessible for the child.

Early Childhood Special Education: The child needs to attend an early childhood program to receive his/her special education services and there is not a regular bus

Special Placement: The student is attending a special program to receive the special education services identified in his/her IEP (out of district or within district) approved by the Special Services Supervisor and there is not a regular bus transporting to this specially designed program.

guide for ma billing IEP Documentation: Special transportation

According to MN Department of Human Services, Medical Assistance covers IEP special transportation, as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 9505.0315, subpart 1, item F, if the child or youth has a physical or mental impairment that would prohibit them from safely accessing and using a common carrier such as a non-district owned or contracted vehicle. This may include a bus, taxi, other commercial transportation or private automobile.

In order to MA Bill for Special Transportation, the documentation in the IEP needs to include:

A reference to the medical condition/diagnosis of the student
Adaptation(s) that are needed. Examples may include but are not limited to:
- PCA on the bus
- 5 pt. harness
- Wheelchair lift
A description of the need for the adaptations

See example below for each of the three parts:

Susie Girl will be provided special transportation to and from school because she is attending a Setting IV Program outside her resident school district. Tracy School District will provide transportation. Susie Girl needs a five point harness in order to remain buckled in her seat. Often, she will take off her seat belt while in transport mode. She will refuse to put her seat belt back on and become aggressive when she is assisted by an adult to reconnect the seat belt. Susie Girl has a medical diagnosis of ADHD.

Keep in mind, car seats are likely used for transporting most pre-school aged students. In order to qualify for MA billable purposes, detailed descriptions related to the medical condition must be included.

Procedures for Adding Special Transportation to an IEP

Adding Special Transportation to the IEP:

During an annual IEP meeting or via the amendment process, the case manager discusses the proposal of adding special transportation to the IEP after reviewing the Special Education Transportation Guide Information.
The case manager adds special transportation to the IEP, including changing the MARSS transportation code. Use the '03-Disabled' code. Code '06-Special Transportation' is only used for cases where the student demonstrates an immediate transportation need not related to the disability (e.g., becomes homeless, begins attending care and treatment program, etc.). Always confirm with your Special Services Supervisor before using the '06' code.
The case manager sends home an IEP and PWN reflecting the addition of special transportation.

Coordinating Transportation:

The case manager completes the Emergency Health/Transportation Information Form (on SpEd Forms).
The case manager sends the completed Emergency Health/Transportation Information Form to the location specified by local district procedure. In some cases the forms are sent to directly to the Transportation Department, Due Process Secretary, Building Administrator, or Special Education Leader.
The case manager fills out a MARSS Change Request Form to indicate the change in MARSS transportation code. This has to be completed to ensure proper reimbursement.

SpEd Forms Transportation Information Form

Districts should be utilizing the "Emergency Health/Transportation Information" Form. The "Emergency Health/Transportation Information" Form can be found within the student's IEP, on the second service page. By clicking on the blue link, the form will be generated. This form should be finalized.

The "Emergency Health/Transportation Information" Form can also be found under the "Other Forms and Logs" folder within the student's SpEd Forms main page.

SpEdFormsTransportationForm.pdf

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