Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes, the home stops are accommodations for children with special needs - like a child with Autism who perhaps does not react well in crowds. There are reasons a stop might not be available to all.

If the child doesn't react well in crowds that child shouldn't take a school bus full of other non SN kids. This is what I don't get. The child needs accommodations. Fine. Why does that mean a different child can't get on after the kid with needs?

I've emailed three different people on the bus depot list. No explanation...just "it's not allowed".

If a child can successfully take a bus of non SN kids so long as the bus picks him/her up at the house instead of having to travel to a bus stop, then that is the least restrictive accommodation and that is what the IEP will specify. And, that is a service that is provided under an IEP. Services are not for the convenience of parents who don't want to use the bus stops, but that is what you are asking. Just like an aide for a SN child isn't going to provide anything to your non-SN child during the school day, even if they are in the classroom and it would be convenient for your child, you don't get to use the service that's specified in another child's IEP for the bus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been calling/emailing MCPS bus depot for weeks, and no one is answering/responding. Damn frustrating.

Here's the question:

My DC takes the bus to a HGC. One of the bus stops is at a private residence (I'm assuming the student is GT/LD or SN). This stop is actually closer to our house than the neighborhood school where the bus also stops. Can my DC get on the bus at the private residence instead of at the neighborhood school bus stop? Anyone know?

My child goes to an immersion program, and when I contacted the school , I was told although the home addresses may be closer , they are for autism students only and my child won't be allowed to get on the bus there.

Ugh. Way to protect student privacy. Not.

Jesus Christ, what is wrong with the transportation department? That is completely inappropriate.

I don't really care to know who has a SN. But, as a parent, don't we have the right to know our kids' bus route?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been calling/emailing MCPS bus depot for weeks, and no one is answering/responding. Damn frustrating.

Here's the question:

My DC takes the bus to a HGC. One of the bus stops is at a private residence (I'm assuming the student is GT/LD or SN). This stop is actually closer to our house than the neighborhood school where the bus also stops. Can my DC get on the bus at the private residence instead of at the neighborhood school bus stop? Anyone know?

My child goes to an immersion program, and when I contacted the school , I was told although the home addresses may be closer , they are for autism students only and my child won't be allowed to get on the bus there.

Ugh. Way to protect student privacy. Not.

Jesus Christ, what is wrong with the transportation department? That is completely inappropriate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes, the home stops are accommodations for children with special needs - like a child with Autism who perhaps does not react well in crowds. There are reasons a stop might not be available to all.

If the child doesn't react well in crowds that child shouldn't take a school bus full of other non SN kids. This is what I don't get. The child needs accommodations. Fine. Why does that mean a different child can't get on after the kid with needs?

I've emailed three different people on the bus depot list. No explanation...just "it's not allowed".

Send an e-mail to your county councilmember. Dear County Councilmember, I have a problem that I hope you can help me with. I am trying to get an explanation from the MCPS Department of Transportation about [explain the issue]. I have e-mailed [name], [name], and [name], but none of them have provided an explanation. I would be very grateful for your help. Signed, you Send ccs to the director of the MCPS Department of Transportation, the assistant director, the bus operations manager, and the manager of the local bus depot.

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes, the home stops are accommodations for children with special needs - like a child with Autism who perhaps does not react well in crowds. There are reasons a stop might not be available to all.

If the child doesn't react well in crowds that child shouldn't take a school bus full of other non SN kids. This is what I don't get. The child needs accommodations. Fine. Why does that mean a different child can't get on after the kid with needs?

I've emailed three different people on the bus depot list. No explanation...just "it's not allowed".

I just learned this rule as well--through some difficult experiences this week. Is it published anywhere? From the original schedule, which listed all stops, including one at home school and 4-5 neighborhood stops. I now know that my child may ONLY get on at the home school stop. But how would I have know that when the schedule was listed as being for the HGC/GT/LD bus? We are new to the whole bus system and new to our HGC school. I thought bus routes routinely stopped in neighborhoods. . .

If they are going to have a rule that is so counter-intuitive, they should at least give proper (written) notice of that rule. Both from the school and the transportation department. Before school starts--not halfway through the first week!

Anonymous wrote:I had same issue last year and my kid was not allowed to board bus at the home of a student where the bus stopped. Frustrating. The bus stop was for an accommodation for a child (special needs). I get a possible issue of accommodating, but then why don't those kids get their own bus. If they are socially able to ride the "regular kid" bus, why can't "regular kids" board the bus at their home bus stop. It wasn't really a huge deal in terms of distance, so I let it rest. But it still doesn't make any sense....

Agreed. I would love to understand the reasoning behind it. Maybe there is a really good explanation.

I had same issue last year and my kid was not allowed to board bus at the home of a student where the bus stopped. Frustrating. The bus stop was for an accommodation for a child (special needs). I get a oossible issue of accommodating, but then why don't those kids get their own bus. If they are socially able to ride the "regular kid" bus, why can't "regular kids" board the bus at their home bus stop. It wasn't really a huge deal in terms of distance, so I let it rest. But it still doesn't make any sense....

Anonymous wrote:That transportation may be under a different funding stream/need for aides and other supports. Also, have you stopped to consider the family may not want a child dropped off at their house waiting for the bus. I would not. Drive you kid to the assigned stop or school. You choose not to go to your local school, so you need to work out transportation.

There are normal bus stops, "normal" meaning not for LD/SN and not for magnet schools, that stop in front of someone's house. It's usually called "on the corner of x and y streets", but there's usually a house right in front of the bus. My DC's bus stop for the neighborhood school has a couple of stops that are in front of a houses.

I don't think a bus being off by five minutes conveys disorganization. You sound a little high maintenance to me.

Sometimes, the home stops are accommodations for children with special needs - like a child with Autism who perhaps does not react well in crowds. There are reasons a stop might not be available to all.

Anonymous wrote:That transportation may be under a different funding stream/need for aides and other supports. Also, have you stopped to consider the family may not want a child dropped off at their house waiting for the bus. I would not. Drive you kid to the assigned stop or school. You choose not to go to your local school, so you need to work out transportation.

If there's a sidewalk, it's a public sidewalk.

Also, there is no assigned stop for buses for kids in magnet programs. That's the whole point. You can take any bus, from any stop, that goes to the school -- except, apparently, this particular stop.

That transportation may be under a different funding stream/need for aides and other supports. Also, have you stopped to consider the family may not want a child dropped off at their house waiting for the bus. I would not. Drive you kid to the assigned stop or school. You choose not to go to your local school, so you need to work out transportation.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS transportation department is a mess. There is no monitoring on how parent requests are handled by their staffs. And they don't need to consult each other to make decisions. How your request is answered depends largely upon if the person in charge is nice or if he/she is in a good mood. I called in in the summer to find out why my transportation request was rejected. All I got was "because I said so." Unbelievable!

Next time, send an e-mail. Then you have documentation.

MCPS transportation department is a mess. There is no monitoring on how parent requests are handled by their staffs. And they don't need to consult each other to make decisions. How your request is answered depends largely upon if the person in charge is nice or if he/she is in a good mood. I called in in the summer to find out why my transportation request was rejected. All I got was "because I said so." Unbelievable!