Statement of problem:

 

On March 12th, 2019, a young boy woke up terrified to get on his usual bus to school.  Up until this day, riding the school bus was one of his most positively reinforcing activities.  Due to the challenging nature of his disability, as well as other stressors occurring this same week, the source of is sudden and extreme aversion to the school bus was difficult to pinpoint.  Through conversations with his mom, as well as my own observations, including an effort to help him board his bus to school, it became increasingly clear that his aversion to the bus was not an aversion to all school buses, but to a very specific bus, with very specific supportive staff.  At this point, it was too late to view any video recordings from the week in question, and nobody on the school bus was willing to talk honestly about what might have happened.  The mother also reported that other children had stopped riding that bus around the same time, lending additional support to the occurrence of an aversive event around the same time this child became unwilling to step onboard the bus.  Additionally, this client was displaying virtually no maladaptive behaviors during his therapy in the prior two months, but since March 12th he has displayed a drastic increase in overall anxiety and is consistently reactive to demands that previously elicited no complaint.  He has also displayed seemingly spontaneous behavioral escalations with a clear motivation towards avoidance, when the source of his anxiety is unclear, all of which was not present, or was very rare in the months prior to this incident.

 

This recent and still unclear incident with a client on a public school "special education" bus has highlighted the need for qualified, trained professionals, not aides or para-professionals, aboard school buses transporting kids with more challenging than typical behavioral and communication needs.  Where a higher degree (maybe even the highest within the field of education) of skill and qualification is required, instead public schools typically enlist the aide of anyone with a high school diploma and a clear background check to provide support to children whose social and communication skills are way behind that of their typically developing peers, while some have additional physical challenges and others have a history of trauma.  There is limited accountability as many of these children would be unable to communicate verbally if they experienced an aversive event aboard the bus.  Where true and qualified professionals are concerned, all incidents that result in escalated behavior are recorded and reported, as well as communicated with the parents or care providers daily.  Where school "professionals" are concerned, communication is rare, and in cases like this, non-existent, even when directly asked by the parent.  Documentation and data recording are also non-existent. 

 

Discussion of need for change:

 

The need for change seems self-evident, yet special education in many public schools has not seen significant changes in many decades.  Lack of resources is usually blamed, but what nobody talks about is the societal devaluing of children whose needs vary from the mainstream and whose communication barriers make it more difficult, sometimes impossible, for them to advocate for themselves.  What people also fail to discuss, is that it is not that difficult to find and adequately train people with the desire and capacity to provide qualified support to these children.  The system has been failing for decades, which is no excuse to keep on failing, yet that often seems to be the rationale for not changing, when the need for such change seems blindingly self-evident.

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Chapter five of the “Idaho Special Education Manual” discusses the right of all students, as part of a free appropriate public education (FAPE), to have access to their education, including transportation.  Under the section of managing behavior on the bus, it suggests that “proper training of bus drivers and paraprofessionals can help prevent misconduct” (2017).  Nowhere in this document, however, does it indicate what, if any training is provided, and the typical educational requirements for an “aide” or paraprofessional are a high school diploma and in some cases an AA degree or a passing score on the Idaho Praxis exam (Post Falls School District, 2019).  Nowhere is there any mention of training specific to special education or applied behavior analysis.

 

Proposed solutions:

 

Partnerships between schools and agencies that specialize in behavioral and functional intervention have the potential to provide the necessary supports without overburdening resources, by combining resources in a mutually beneficial way.  Not only can these private agencies provide training and support to school staff, but in the case of students with extreme needs, they can also provide personnel as needed.  The hiring and training of school staff working with children with disabilities could also be carried out in a joint manner to ensure individuals are hired who have the necessary capacity for this challenging work.  Agencies specializing in behavioral support and intervention could provide an ongoing resource for continued training, support, and evaluation.  They already have a vested interest in the children riding those buses, as many of those same kids already receive specialized services.  Well there are many caring individuals providing support to children with disabilities in the public school system, it only takes one stressed out, impatient individual to cause extreme trauma in a child already predisposed to being traumatized.

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 At a minimum, some coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis, as well as CPI training should be a standard requirement for anyone working with children with disabilities.  Routine evaluations should also be conducted to ensure staff continue to provide the level of service that these children deserve.  There should also be in place a system of documenting daily activity, where all challenging behaviors and interventions are recorded, whether mild or severe.  All of these processes are already standard practice at any credible agency providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy, and any such agency would be willing to provide support and guidance to the public school system to help implement these procedures in a cost-effective way.  With modern technology and the support of highly qualified community specialists, public schools could easily move from antiquated methods of “special” education practice, to modern practice that ensures all students receive the safe, supportive educational experience all children are entitled to.

 

Supporting individuals or organizations: 

 

Syringa Family Partnership, LLC.:

 

A local agency providing high quality behavioral and functional intervention to children in the community with a wide range of developmental disabilities.  Syringa is dedicated to advocating for children and families whose voices are often not heard, with the goal of creating inclusive, supportive communities, where all have access to opportunities for success.

 

RethinkBH:

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An online platform that provides professional development, training in Applied Behavioral Analysis, and data collection software for professionals working with children with developmental disabilities.

 

Potential outcomes:

 

If changes aren't implemented, the safety and well-being of children onboard special education buses will continue to be in question, and sadly, many won't notice the difference.  However, just because a child's communication is not being understood, does not mean he or she is not communicating, and the inability of a child to communicate effectively does not invalidate his or her right to respect and fair treatment.  Parents rely on "professionals" for the safety, well-being, and education of their children, yet "professional" isn't the current and universal standard of practice.  If it were, I would already know what caused this particular child's sudden and severe aversion to riding the bus, because it would have been documented and reported, just as I do, working with this, and other children everyday.

If changes like those above are implemented, then we will see a true revolution unfold, where all children begin to have equal access to a safe and high quality education, which includes their transportation to and from school.  Parents will be able to trust the professionals in charge of their child’s well-being to safely manage and report any concerning behaviors, without injurious consequences.  An atmosphere of full disclosure will assure the safety of all children and provide parents with the confidence they are sending there child safely to school.  Proper training and support will also provide school staff with the confidence to manage challenging behaviors, while minimizing stress to themselves and the children in their care.

 

References:

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Idaho State Department of Education (2017). Idaho Special Education Manual. Retrieved from: https://www.sde.idaho.gov/sped/files/shared/Idaho-Special-Education-Manual-2017-Accessible-version2.pdf

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Post Falls School District (2019). Retrieved from http://www.pfsd.com/Employment

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RethinkBH (2016). Retrieved from https://www.rethinkbehavioralhealth.com

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Syringa Family Partnership LLC. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.syringafp.com

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Letter to Stakeholder

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Sherri Ybarra

 

Superintendent of Public Instruction

650 West State Street

Boise, ID 83702

Sunday, May 12, 2019

 

Dear Superintendent Ybarra,

 

I am encouraged by your current initiative to Keep Idaho Students Safe (KISS), as well as your commitment to create supportive, high quality learning environments where all students are challenged towards success.  I am concerned, however, about the apparent absence in this initiative of measures to ensure the safe and responsive educating of children with disabilities, which includes their transportation to and from school.

 

A child I work with, providing therapeutic behavioral intervention to children with developmental disabilities, recently woke up terrified to get on his bus to school.  This child was previously enamored with riding the school bus, but has since shown a consistent, and often extreme, aversion since March 12th, when this issue first presented.  He has also continued to display heightened levels of anxiety during therapy sessions, where in the months prior, he had shown none.  Due to the complicated nature of this child’s behavioral profile, it took too long to isolate his sudden aversion to a likely event on board that school bus, so it was no longer possible to pull video tapes, and the staff on board the bus were unwilling to discuss what may have happened.  The mother of this child also reported that several other kids had stopped riding the bus around the same time, but was unable to determine specifically why.

 

This issue highlights a need for increased staff training and accountability, not only in the classroom, but onboard special education school buses.  It doesn’t take physical abuse for a child with a history of trauma to develop extreme aversion and anxiety, which in turn block that child’s ability to learn and grow.  Being yelled at out of frustration, or forcefully buckled after unbuckling, could be sufficient to re-traumatize a child with a complicated history and disability.  Currently, the educational qualifications for a school bus aide are insufficient to ensure they have the proper skills and capacities to provide the safe, supportive care all children deserve and have the right to.

 

I believe through a collaborative community effort, training and support can be provided, not only ensuring students safe transportation to and from school, but also providing school staff with the confidence to handle stressful situations and challenging behaviors in a positive and supportive way.  In order for our schools to be successful, all students need to feel safe and supported.  This can’t happen if school staff do not having the necessary training and supportive resources to work with all students, especially those whose behavioral needs are naturally more challenging and, as such, require more, not less expertise and specialized skill.

 

Sincerely,

 

Leif Olson

Syringa Family Partnership, LLC.

leifo@syringafp.com

509-391-5655

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