States to provide special-needs transportation conferences

The California Department of Education has released details about the Transporting Children with Special Needs Conference, a two-day event held at several locations throughout the state.

Topics to be covered include understanding the special-education process; confidentiality as it relates to special-needs students; community relations and mandated reporting; student behavior management; proper loading and unloading techniques; special-education evacuation; and special-education policies and best practices.

The conference will be held Feb. 24-25 at Madera Unified School District, March 24-25 at Poway Unified School District and April 23-24 at the Humboldt County Office of Education in Eureka. The registration fee is $150 per person. For more information, call (916) 375-7100.

In Pennsylvania, the 2009 Special-Needs Transportation Conference will be held April 15 in Grantville. The conference is co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania School Bus Association and Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project.

Topics discussed will include the laws, solutions and best practices for children from pre-school to transitioning years. Head Start providers, school transportation directors, bus drivers, contractors, early intervention specialists, and physical and occupational therapists are encouraged to attend.

For registration information, call 1-800-CARBELT.