The state wants to hear from families about what happens on special education buses. The New Jersey Department of Education is opening three virtual listening sessions for the public to speak to the Special Education Transportation Task Force before it makes its recommendations, TLS has learned.

According to a memo from the department, the task force is studying best practices for transporting students who receive special education and related services, including how to identify and respond to medical and behavioral emergencies.

The sessions will be held on Microsoft Teams:

• Monday, Oct. 26, 6 to 7 PM
• Thursday, Oct. 29, 10 to 11 AM
• Tuesday, Nov. 3, 12 to 1 PM

Anyone who wants to speak must register in advance using this form. Registration closes 24 hours before each session. Speakers are called in the order they register, and each gets up to five minutes. Meeting access details are emailed before the session.

Written comments can also be sent to [email protected] and will be included in the public record and shared with task force members.

The department asks participants to share experiences and suggested solutions without naming students, families, staff, bus drivers, aides, school districts, schools, vendors or other organizations.

Comments will be received without response or debate and considered along with other evidence as the task force prepares its recommendations. The sessions are not a forum for resolving individual cases.

Separately, a bill introduced Oct. 1 in the Legislature would change how districts select vendors for certain special needs transportation. It would replace the lowest-responsible-bidder standard with a most-appropriate-bidder test, require a meeting with the parent, vendor, case manager and district, and bar vendors that cannot meet a student’s IEP. The bill has been introduced only and has not become law.