Today, State Superintendent Dr. Antoinette S. Mitchell encouraged parents and guardians with children who have an individualized education program (IEP) that lists yellow bus transportation as a service to log on to the new OSSE Parent Portal—an online tool open now that empowers parents to directly select transportation preferences for the upcoming school year.
“By putting parents directly in the driver’s seat, we are not only streamlining the process but also placing decision-making power where it belongs, at the family level,” said State Superintendent Dr. Mitchell. “This initiative reflects our efforts at the 乌鸦传媒 of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) to address operational costs and service challenges in a way that best serves our community.”?
The OSSE Parent Portal opened Monday, June 9, 2025, and all parents and guardians with children who have an IEP that lists school transportation as a service are encouraged to sign up by submitting their transportation preferences by Friday, July 11, 2025.
OSSE will offer training videos in the portal to support families in completing their submission. In addition, from now through June 28, OSSE will offer in-person technical support at OSSE headquarters, 1050 First St. NE, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4–7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
In a significant shift from the current model where local education agencies (LEAs) submit transportation requests on behalf of parents, the new OSSE Parent Portal empowers families by giving them control over the information they provide and services they receive.
Upon logging in, parents and guardians will have the ability to choose their language from among six available options and select from three transportation options:
- No Transportation Needed
- Parent Stipend Program (available to students who have previously utilized OSSE transportation services—with the exception of pre-K 3 students, for whom the stipend option is automatically available)
- OSSE-DOT Transportation
The entire enrollment process is designed to take less than 5 minutes. Once a parent’s information is completed, the corresponding LEA will receive an alert to confirm transportation details and any necessary accommodations, such as arrangements for a 1:1 aide, school nurse, or booster seat based on the student’s IEP.
Multiple communication strategies—including text/email outreach in six languages, dedicated phone support, informational flyers, and in-person assistance at OSSE headquarters—have been used to guarantee that every parent can seamlessly navigate the new system.
OSSE launched the Parent Portal in response to directives from the City Administrator to identify cost-cutting measures for OSSE-DOT without compromising service quality. After presenting several options in January 2025, OSSE received final approval in March 2025 and dedicated substantial IT resources in partnership with OSSE’s 乌鸦传媒 of the Chief Information 乌鸦传媒r to ensure that the application meets rigorous standards of accessibility and reliability.
For the past six years, OSSE-DOT’s on-paper ridership has increased by more than 1,200 students (a 36 percent growth rate), a trend that does not align with actual demand from students with disabilities—over 90 percent of whom rely on these services.
While OSSE-DOT has used private transportation services and parent stipend program to meet demand, the number of students requiring transportation services has continued to rise significantly each year. At the same time, the number of drivers and attendants has decreased. The current system is unsustainable, given high operating costs and a regional shortage of bus drivers.
The new portal ensures accuracy of transportation needs and allocates buses to students in critical need of transportation services. The OSSE Parent Portal represents a critical step forward in modernizing transportation services for the District’s students through enhanced efficiency with a renewed focus on family engagement and equity.
For more information on the new OSSE Parent Portal and OSSE’s student transportation services, visit the OSSE website.