Res 0540-2018

By Council Members Ayala, Rivera, Holden, Kallos, Barron, Levin, Rose, Ampry-Samuel, Brannan and Van Bramer Whereas, Multiple incidents have raised concerns about the safety of children with special needs while in transport to and from schools in the city of New York; and Whereas, In September 2018, Bertram Ford, a sixth grader who has autism, endured a four hour school bus ride to school, which occurred after two days of his school bus not showing up to transport him to school; and Whereas, As reported in a September 2018 New York Post article, a Queens mother is suing the Department of Education and the bus company First Steps Transportation Inc. alleging that her 13-year-old daughter, who has a developmental disability, was left on her school bus for three hours; and Whereas, The New York State Education Department mandates the safety standards and requirements for school bus drivers and attendants in the city of New York, pursuant to title 8, chapter II, subchapter J, part 156 of the state's official compilation of codes, rules and regulations; and Whereas, Pursuant to the state regulations, school bus drivers and attendants must receive training concerning children with special needs through the Department of Education's Office of Pupil Transportation; and Whereas, Providing drivers and attendants with more in-depth instruction about the needs, safety concerns, supervision and safety techniques relating to students with disabilities could help ensure their safe transport; and Whereas, A systematic recording protocol to track driver and attendant attendance at these trainings could ensure that every bus driver and attendant receives the required training; and Whereas, More extensive training and tracking of this training could help ensure that children are safely transported in the city of New York; and Whereas, It is of great importance to the city of New York to ensure that children are transported in a safe manner within the city; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Education Department to require, implement and enforce more extensive training and tracking of the training of school bus drivers and attendants who transport students with disabilities. MK/ KJ LS #1368 9/18/18