The Maine DOE recently issued guidance regarding the provision of transportation to special education students. In response to questions we’ve received as a result of that dispatch, the Department wishes to provide additional clarity.
If a student’s disability results in a need for specialized transportation services beyond the regular transportation described in 20-A MRSA §5401-5402, then transportation must appear as a related service in Section 7 of the Individualized Education Program (IEP).
Examples of when this applies include the provision of a transportation aide or specialized equipment, or transportation to a location other than the school the student would attend if not identified with a disability.The determination that a student requires such services is an individualized decision made by the student’s IEP Team, and must be documented in the Written Notice. Where the IEP Team also determines that the transportation service has an instructional component (e.g., modifying the behavior that necessitates the provision of a transportation aide, or learning to utilize a safety harness), there must be an annual goal in the IEP corresponding to that instruction.
If you have additional questions about the development of IEPs as it pertains to transportation services, please contact Maine DOE Special Services Director Jan Breton at janice.breton@maine.gov.