Transportation agency on track to leave court supervision

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Office of the State Superintendent of Education's (OSSE) transportation department could soon be leaving federal court supervision, The Washington Examiner reports.

The department transports 3,500 special-education students whose schools aren’t equipped to transport them. In July, supervising court master David Gilmore said OSSE "knowingly" transported students on buses that had not been properly inspected or maintained. In the fall, Judge Paul Friedman determined that OSSE wasn't ready to operate alone and extended the department’s “transition period” to Oct. 31. This was the fifth time the court monitor or OSSE requested a delay due to service issues.

The department has been replacing its buses with new, GPS-equipped vehicles and has now achieved a 95% on-time school arrival rate. It also achieved compliance in all 34 performance areas that were ordered to be monitored in a class action lawsuit against the department, State Superintendent Hosanna Mahaley said at a budget hearing. Mahaley added that the department is on course to exit oversight this year.

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