School Transportation for Children with Special Needs: An Overview and Resources for School PTs

This session will focus on the role of physical therapists in the provision of transportation services in the school setting. The importance of and barriers to transportation for students with disabilities will be highlighted. A review of educational and civil rights legislation will define the legal mandate for transportation for students with disabilities. Further review of legislative and evidence-based guidelines for transportation in general and as it relates to students with disabilities in particular will reveal a knowledge gap and a need for resources to guide both new and seasoned physical therapists working in the schools. The development of one such resource will be described, and the resource itself shared, including a template for a physical therapy-related transportation checklist. Roles of additional transportation stakeholders/members of transportation teams will also be described, and tips for collaboration among all transportation stakeholders will be discussed. There will be an opportunity for attendees to problem-solve general transportation challenges as a group, and the session will end with possible “next steps” in transportation-related resources that may be helpful for physical therapists in the school setting.