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SMS-PR-009: School Transport Assistance Programs for Students with Disabilities

Objectives: To provide assistance to those students whose disability necessitates transport to and from school by a means that takes account of their disability.

Relevant legislation and policy

Legislation and/or regulations

Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (new window) Section 421 http://legislation.govnet.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/ACTS/2006/06AC039.pdf
Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (1992) Part 2 Division 2 Section 22 http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/dda1992264/
Commonwealth Disability Standards for Education 2005 Part 4 http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/programmes_funding/forms_guidelines/disability_standards_for_education.htm

Related procedures

SMS-PR-027: Enrolment in State Primary, Secondary and Special Schools /strategic/eppr/students/smspr027/
Education Adjustment Program http://education.qld.gov.au/students/disabilities/adjustment/

Statement of intent

The Department of Education and Training provides school transport assistance for students with disabilities where it is necessitated by the nature of the student's disability and by the circumstances of the family. Families have primary responsibility for the transport of their children to school. The support provided to families by the Department of Education and Training includes:

Category 1 transport assistance - public transport (bus, rail or ferry), conveyance allowance for parents who drive their children to school.
Category 2 transport assistance - contract minibus and taxi.

This procedure applies to travel between home and school at the start and end of the school day, by students with disabilities in accordance with the following principles:

equity of access to education for students with disabilities
strengthening the capacity of individuals, families and communities
responsible use of available resources.

The Target Group for this program is students with a disability aged from three years attending the nearest school or the nearest school with a specialised program in the area of the student 's disability/disabilities. They are students:

who are school aged with a verified diagnosis of disability according to Education Queensland criteria
whose diagnosis of disability has not yet been verified by EQ but who are anticipated to meet criteria
who do not have a verified diagnosis for educational support, but whose disability necessitates transport assistance
who are prior to Prep children with a disability attending an approved Early Childhood Development Program and services

Students attending The Glenleighden School, Tennyson Special School, Autism Queensland Schools or an approved hospital school may also be eligible for assistance.

Transport assessors recommend the type of assistance (Category 1 or Category 2), subsequent to an assessment process, done in consultation with the parent/carer. This process entails identifying the student 's ability to travel safely between home and school and the parent 's capacity to get their child to school. Parents make formal application for assistance when Category 2 (contract taxi or minibus) is being considered.

Other eligibility conditions (new window) 73k (one school only, one home address and attendance on at least three days a week) apply and these are discussed with parents/carers during the assessment process. For students who are eligible for contract transport, there are further conditions (cost, distance and travel time limits). Some cases outside these limits may warrant the consideration of exceptional circumstances (new window) 40k .

If families have grounds to contest the decision of the Principal Advisor, Education Services, they may submit an appeal to the district Executive Director (Schools) of the Department of Education and Training.

Responsibilities

Parent/carer:

has primary responsibility for transporting their child to school
participates in their child's school transport assessment and review processes and signs the T1 Assessment and Authority to Arrange Transport Assistance (new window) 593k and R1 Review of Assessment of Eligibility (new window) 102k forms
completes and signs the T2 Parent Application for Consideration of Transport Assistance for Student for contract transport assistance (new window) 77k form
co-operates with the school transport providers to ensure their child's safe travel to school
supports travel training (new window) 30k programs where applicable
makes contact with the Principal Education Officer, Student Services to discuss any issues about the transport type approved by the Principal Advisor Education Services
may appeal against the decision about transport assistance for their child using A4 Appeal Process-Parent Submission (new window) 39k

School transport assessor:

liaises with parents about school transport assistance matters
ensures the student is in the target group and attending the nearest school or the nearest school with a specialised program in the area of the student 's disability/disabilities
assesses the student's eligibility for school assistance transport in accordance with the procedure, using T1 Assessment and Authority to Arrange Transport Assistance (new window) 593k form
uses T3 Students with Disabilities Distance Check (new window) 76k form to obtain details on the distance between home and school if necessary
ensures that the parent completes the T2 Parent Application for Consideration of Transport Assistance for Student (new window) 77k for contract transport assistance form if Category 2 transport assistance is being considered
co-signs the T2 Parent Application for Consideration of Transport Assistance for Student (new window) 77k for contract transport assistance form when contract transport assistance is to be recommended for a student whose capacity for independent travel is minimal because of their severe disability and the student is unlikely to develop skills for independent travel
confirms all eligibility criteria and conditions (new window) 73k
liaises with Queensland Transport on matters of cost and availability of services
provides a rationale (page 5 of T1) where Exceptional Circumstances (new window) 40k apply
identifies the need for travel training (new window) 30k where appropriate and liaises with the classroom teacher
recommends the student's category of school transport assistance Categories of Eligibility (new window) 73k including the need for an escort if this is required Travel Training and Escorts (new window) 30k
assesses and reviews school transport assistance for students at the appropriate times Timing of Assessments and Reviews (new window) 35k
liaises with parent/carer to review a students eligibility for transport assistance by completing and signing the R1 Review of Assessment for Eligibility (new window) 102k form and T1 Assessment and Authority to Arrange Transport Assistance (new window) 593k form (if change is required) once every 12 months or when a change to student or family circumstances occur or otherwise specified in original application
ensures student transport data is entered on AIMS prior to faxing the following forms:
- T1 Assessment and Authority to Arrange Transport Assistance (new window) 593k (fax to District Office)
- R1 Review of Assessment for Eligibility (new window) 102k (fax to District Office)
- T5 Transport Cancellation Notification (new window) 82k (fax to Queensland Transport).

Principal:

ensures that students are assessed and reviewed for school transport assistance in accordance with this procedure
ensures that the school transport assessor is teacher qualified
ensures that there is appropriate supervision for students on arrival and departure from school
authorises school transport assistance for students with disabilities in temporary residential accommodation , using T4 Temporary Residential Accommodation Authority to Arrange Transport (new window) 141k form
ensures that the T5 Transport Cancellation Notification (new window) 82k is completed for a permanent cancellation, temporary cancellation which exceeds 5 days and Temporary Residential Accommodation cancellation
submits E1 Claim for Reimbursement of Teacher Aide Wages for the Escort of Student with Disabilities (new window) 137k and copy of the relevant Salary/Wage Recovery Debit Notes when the Principal Advisor, Education Services or delegate approves the use of an adult who is paid to accompany a student where this is necessary for the purposes of managing the student's conduct or safety
ensures student transport data is entered on AIMS.

Principal Education Officer, Student Services:

provides training, advice and support to the school transport assessor
ensures that there are sufficient (teacher qualified) trained school transport assessors available
ensures that transport assessments and reviews for students have been carried out in accordance with this procedure
liaises with Queensland Transport on matters of cost and availability of transport services
works with schools, Queensland Transport and other agencies to develop local innovative responses to transport issues
responds to queries from parents regarding this procedure
liaises with parents when parents wish to appeal the decision of the Principal Advisor, Education Services, using schedules:
- A1 Appeal Process - Action Flow Chart for Appeals (new window) 36k
- A2 Appeal Process - Rationale for decision re school transport assistance (new window) 36k
- A3 Appeal Process - Guidelines for submitting an Appeal (new window) 44k
- A4 Appeal Process - Parent Submission (new window) 39k
ensures student transport data is entered on AIMS.

Principal Advisor, Education Services or delegate:

considers recommendation of the school transport assessor for the provision of transport assistance
manages processes to deal with cases of unusual or exceptional circumstances
if authorised signs the T1 Assessment and Authority to Arrange Transport Assistance (new window) 593k form and faxes pages 1 and 3 or 4 to Queensland Transport
advises parents on the outcome of an application for school transport assistance using:
- M1 Approval letter for type of assistance requested (new window) 31k OR
- M2 Letter advising a different type of assistance than that requested (new window) 31k
- M3 Notification to parent/carer of transport assistance application not approved (new window) 32k
manages the district budget for school transport assistance for students with disabilities.

Executive Director (Schools):

implements a local process of appeals
Seeks advice from the Manager, School Transport in individual cases where an appeal has been lodged
makes decisions on appeals
advises parents of the outcome of appeals, using A5 Letter to Parent or Guardian from the Executive Director (Schools) (new window) 34k .

Manager, School Transport:

provides advice to the Principal Education Officer, Student Services and the Principal Advisor, Education Services
provides advice to the Executive Director (Schools) about cases where an appeal has been lodged
reviews the policy to ensure that the policy continues to meet departmental and government objectives
decides on applications for transport assistance for students attending The Glenleighden School, an Autism Queensland School or Tennyson Special School
ensures claims for reimbursement of teacher aide wages are made to schools.

Forms

T1 Assessment and Authority to Arrange Transport Assistance for Students with Disabilities (new window) 593k
T2 Parent Application for Consideration of Transport Assistance for Student (new window) 77k
T3 Students with Disabilities Distance Check (new window) 76k
T4 Temporary Residential Accommodation Authority to Arrange Transport (new window) 141k
T5 Transport Cancellation Notification (new window) 82k
R1 Review of Assessment for Eligibility (new window) 102k
M1 Approval letter for type of assistance requested (new window) 31k
M2 Letter advising a different type of assistance than that requested (new window) 31k
M3 Notification to parent/carer of transport assistance application not approved (new window) 32k
A1 Appeal Process - Action Flow Chart for Appeals (new window) 36k
A2 Appeal Process - Guidelines for submitting an Appeal (new window) 36k
A3 Appeal Process - Rational for decision re school transport assistance (new window) 44k
A4 Appeal Process - Parent Submission (new window) 39k
A5 Appeal Process - Letter to Parent or Guardian from the Executive Director (Schools) (new window) 34k
E1 Claim for Reimbursement of Teacher Aide Wages for the Escort of Student with Disabilities (new window) 137k

Guidelines

Not Applicable

Contacts

For information on school transport assistance programs for students with disabilities, contact:

Principal Project Officer
School Transport Unit

Phone:: (07) 3237 0399
Fax:: (07) 3237 1701

Document information

Approval record: TRIM 08/140080
Date of implementation: 2008-09-23
Date of publication: 2008-10-03
Date to be reviewed: 2009-09-23
This procedure replaces:

SM-12: School Transport Assistance Program for Students with Disabilities - Version: 2005

Uncontrolled copy. Please refer to Education Policy and Procedure Register at http://iwww.qed.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/ for latest version.

Uncontrolled copy. Please refer to Education Policy and Procedure Register at http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/ for latest version.

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