The IEP Student Transportation Playbook
If your district arranges transportation for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), you already know it’s some of the most demanding work your transportation team does. Routes have to account for routine, familiarity, and care — and the margin for error is small. A ride that goes wrong can cost a student instructional time, lead to chronic absenteeism, and put compliance at risk.
The conditions aren’t getting easier. More than 8.1 million students were served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2024, even as 81% of administrators report driver shortages and 73% report budget shortfalls.
The IEP Student Transportation Playbook is a practical guide for arranging IEP rides in 2026, including what to expect, what to look for, and how to set students up for a school day that starts right.
Inside, you’ll find:
A clear-eyed look at the pressures facing IEP transportation today, and why the commute itself is the first IEP intervention of the day
A seven-question checklist for evaluating any current or prospective transportation partner, from accountability to reporting to insurance
Insights on how to get student-specific needs from the IEP team to the person behind the wheel
What true consistency, real-time visibility, and direct accountability look like in practice, with examples from districts already doing it