A new survey by EverDriven Technologies, the leader in technology-enabled Alternative Student Transportation for school districts nationwide, provides insights into the opportunity to close information gaps around transportation options that are available to children with special needs.
Although 64% of parents of these students reported that rides to or from school impacted their child’s ability to learn, more than half were not making use of the transportation accommodations available to them under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The results of this survey can provide the starting point for greater information sharing between parents and schools to ensure children receive the transportation support they need.
“Transportation is a key service with tremendous impact on the learning experience of many children with disabilities,” said Mitch Bowling, CEO of EverDriven. “Our national survey reveals that both parents and children would benefit from more information about the alternative transportation resources that are available to them.”
EverDriven’s 2024 survey of parents revealed four key takeaways:
- Most parents (75%) of children with special needs reported using school-provided transportation services.
- However, 56% or more were not aware of the range of transportation accommodations available under IDEA, from dedicated aides to ride length limitations to school transportation in a car or van.
- Most parents (71%) reported significant barriers to understanding and accessing these services.
- Nonetheless, most parents were keenly aware of the difference transportation makes in their child’s learning experience and 57% of them agreed that school administrators understood their child’s transportation needs.
“The results of our survey reveal the opportunities that exist to provide families with information and access to numerous transportation services,” said Bowling. “Parents of students with disabilities can then be set up to understand their transportation options and their children will be better set up for learning and thriving.”
The Parents of Children with Special Needs survey was conducted for EverDriven on SurveyMonkey among a sample of 227 adults, 44% male and 56% female, who self-identified as parents of children with special needs. For this survey, “special needs” was defined as having “developmental delays, physical disabilities, special health care needs, learning disabilities, or emotional/behavioral disorders.” The survey was live in the United States in November 2023.
Download EverDriven’s 2024 Survey of Parents of Children with Special Needs report to discover more key information and data around the transportation issues of children with special needs.
EverDriven is the leader in Alternative Student Transportation for school districts nationwide. With nearly 700 school district contracts and over 28,000 students served last year alone, EverDriven has established itself as a nationwide leader in safety and technology-enabled Alternative Student Transportation. Leveraging proprietary routing technology and customized transportation services, the company has been instrumental in addressing driver shortages, helping reduce chronic absenteeism, accommodating varying bell times, and serving unique student needs related to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, special needs, ESSA, hard-to-serve trips, and out-of-district placements. For more information, visit everdriven.com.