Building Student Readiness Through Transportation Partnerships


Free Member Benefit
Transportation PartnershipsJoin us for two engaging webinars designed to help schools strengthen partnerships between Special Education andTransportation departments. Learn actionable techniques to boost student support, enhance communication, and build inclusive environments that serve all learners. The first session will share practical approaches, real-world examples, and strategies to shift transportation culture, advance student readiness, improve the travel experience for students, and foster a productive partnership between special education and transportation teams. The second webinar, a 90-minute interactive workshop titled “Bring your transportation professional to CASE with you”—will begin the process of creating a district plan to enhance transportation services for students with disabilities.
 

Tuesday, December 1, 2026

     

10:00 AM-11:00 AM (Central Time)

      
Register Here

Tuesday, December 15, 2026

   10:00 AM-11:30 AM (Central Time)  
Register Here
Presenters:
Susan King, Executive Director for CLP Consulting Group
Dr. Susan King is an experienced special educator, researcher, and professor based in the Washington, D.C area. Prior to obtaining her doctoral degree, Dr. King was a special educator in one of the largest school districts in the Washington, D.C. area. She has been an assistant professor at Juniata College and faculty member at The George Washington University. Her expertise is in assessment, teacher training, behavior management and working with families of students with special needs. Recently she completed post-doctoral education at Harvard University with a focus on “Making Change.”

Dr. King has consulted with public and private schools, served as an expert witness in legal cases, and conducted independent educational evaluations. She has served as the Chair of The National Advisory Committee for the HEATH Resource Center, National Clearing House on Post-Secondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities (Washington, D.C.). Currently Dr. King serves as a member of the FirstServes National Advisory Board (Cincinnati, Ohio) and the Committee of Disability Awareness (Baltimore Washington). Additionally, she is on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, an opt-in research community of business professionals.
 
Will McDermott, Head of Student Services at First Student
Will McDermott serves as the Head of Student Services at First Student, bringing unparalleled expertise and dedication to supporting students with special needs. Before his work in transportation, Will served as the Principal of Hopewell Academy, one of the first private therapeutic schools integrating academic standards, social-emotional learning, and career development for students with emotional disabilities. During his tenure, he identified a critical need for a more tailored approach to special education transportation, inspiring the launch of Hopewell Transportation. In 2013, Will co-founded Hopewell Transportation, a special transportation service for students with disabilities that integrated research-based interventions to help create stronger public and private partnerships with transportation companies and school districts.
 
In 2019, Hopewell Transportation was acquired by First Student, and Mr. McDermott continues to work there, focusing his research and efforts on delivering students to school and back home emotionally ready to engage. Additionally, Will is the Chairman of the Board at Connect Academy, a K-8 school he founded that offers early intervention and support for students as they reintegrate into the Least Restrictive Environment.