S4835

An Act concerning special education and related services, amending P.L.2015, c.123, and supplementing chapter 46 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 3 of P.L.2015, c.123 (C.18A:39-19.4) is amended to read as follows:

3. a. The Commissioner of Education shall develop a student information card that includes information that should be readily available to [a] school bus [driver and school bus aide] personnel for the purpose of [promoting proper] ensuring the safe and appropriate transportation of, and interaction with, a student with special needs. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, in coordination with the parent or guardian of a student with an [individualized education plan] IEP, shall complete the student information card when the [individualized education plan] IEP is developed or amended for a student who receives transportation services. The student information card shall be maintained with the IEP and on the school bus transporting the student in a location that is easily accessible to all school bus personnel.

b. Upon receiving consent from a student's parent or guardian, the school district shall provide a copy of [the] a student’s completed student information card to [a school bus driver and school bus aide for each student on the bus route to which the] all school bus [driver or school bus aide is] personnel assigned [for whom a student information card has been completed by the parent or guardian] to the student’s bus route and, as applicable, to any contracted transportation provider providing transportation services to the student pursuant to a contract with the school district.

c. As used in this section, “school bus personnel” means a school bus driver, school bus aide, and any other individual who works, and is otherwise responsible for the safety of students, on a school bus.

(cf: P.L.2015, c.123, s.3)

2. (New section) a. When developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the IEP team shall consider the individual needs of the student during transportation, including but not limited to, their medical, behavioral, communication, and adaptive equipment, and whether the student’s disability makes the provision of specialized transportation services necessary pursuant to N.J.S.18A:46-23.

b. In addition to any other required personnel, an IEP team shall include a school district’s director of transportation. The director of transportation shall attend all IEP team meetings unless:

(1) the parent or guardian agrees that the director may be excused from participation in the meeting in accordance with federal and State law; or

(2) the student does not receive transportation services as a component of the IEP.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires an Individualized Education Program (IEP) team to consider the individual needs of a student during transportation and whether the student’s disability makes the provision of specialized transportation services necessary when developing an IEP.

Under the bill, in addition to any other required personnel, the IEP team is required to include a school district’s director of transportation. The director of transportation is to attend all IEP team meetings unless: (1) the parent or guardian agrees that the director may be excused from participating in the meeting in accordance with federal and State law; or (2) the student does not receive transportation services as a component of the IEP.

Pursuant to current law, the parent or guardian of a student with special needs is required to complete a student information card containing information that should be readily available to a school bus driver and school bus aide for the purpose of promoting proper interaction with a student. Under the bill, the IEP team, in coordination with the parent or guardian of a student with an IEP, is to complete the student information card. The bill also requires the student information card be readily available to school bus personnel for the purpose of ensuring the safe and appropriate transportation of, and interaction with, a student with special needs. The student information card is to be maintained with the IEP and on the school bus transporting the student in a location that is easily accessible to all school bus personnel.

Under the bill, upon receiving consent from a student’s parent or guardian, the school district is required to provide a copy of the student’s completed student information card to all school bus personnel assigned to the student’s bus route and, as applicable, to any contracted transportation provider providing transportation services to the student pursuant to a contract with the school district.