School Finance: Transportation

Collaborative Special Education Transportation Pilot

July 21, 2008

In 2008, funding was completed for a three year pilot study to test the concept that transportation of out of district special education students could be accomplished at a lower cost and without impacting the quality of service by delegating the planning and contracting for such transportation to educational collaboratives.

This concept was initiated by a legislatively authorized special commission that was charged with studying the issue. The commission was comprised of representatives from various educational associations including the MA Associations of Superintendents, School Committees, Business Managers, Special Education Directors, Pupil Transportation Directors, Educational Collaboratives and the MA Private School Association. The Task Force recognized that savings could be achieved by "regionalizing" these services using collaboratives as facilitators in the process.

In response to a Request for Proposals, the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MDESE) awarded grant funds to Assabet Valley Collaborative, Accept Metro West Collaborative and Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative. Over the three years of this pilot project, these three collaboratives have coordinated transportation services to out of district placements in their catchment areas as well as encouraged and supported the establishment of new transportation networks in other parts of the state. Today, there are 10 intercollaborative networks established to coordinate transportation services to out of district private placements. These networks are at various stages of development and will continue to expand this year through additional funds approved in the FY09 budget.

The MDESE engaged the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute to conduct an evaluation of the first three years of the Pilot Grant. This document entitled, "   A Review of the Outcomes to Date of the Special Education Transportation Pilot Program" is attached.

For additional information on this project or for information on how your district might participate, please contact:

Stephen J. Theall, Executive Director
MA Organization of Educational Collaboratives
1112 High Street
Dedham, Massachusetts 02027
TELE: 781-326-2473 #113
FAX: 781-251-0874
e-mail: moec@tec-coop.org