OSSE-DOT has made some significant changes to how Transportation Request Forms are processed, now requiring families to log into a new Parent Portal to make selections and verify information before a Transportation Request Form can be processed and a student routed.

AJE wants to families to understand that schools (also known as Local Education Agencies (LEAs)) will no longer be able to submit transportation requests on behalf of families. This task now rests entirely with parents and guardians. If families do not complete the transportation request forms through the OSSE-DOT Parent Portal, the LEA will not be able to certify or process transportation for the student – this means that the student WILL NOT receive transportation if families do not act on this email.

Beginning today, Monday, June 9, 2025, Office of State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) will email families to access the portal and submit their transportation preference for the school year 2025-26. All submissions must be completed by Friday, July 11, 2025.

Once in the portal, families also need to select if they –

• Will Not Need Transportation – You indicate that your child will not use OSSE transportation services.
• Want to Participate in the Parent Stipend Program – You will transport your child to and from school and receive a monthly stipend. (Please note: Even if you participated in the stipend program during the 2024–2025 school year, you must re-submit your preference and upload new supporting documentation for 2025–2026. Regular student attendance is required and will be verified monthly.)
• Want OSSE-DOT Transportation –  OSSE-Division of Student Transportation (OSSE-DOT) will transport my student to/from their enrolled school (via yellow school bus or other OSSE-designated vehicle). Parent will provide the necessary home address and school address details.

All children in the family who are transportation eligible, should be visible to the parent in the portal, and you can make different choices for each student in your family.

Families who want OSSE-DOT to provide transportation, should remember that Transportation is a related service and is still an IEP team decision, and nothing about this new process changes the decisions of the IEP team.

Families will need to verify –

• School of attendance and LEA (if applicable)
• AM pick up address
• PM drop off address
• Which days they want transportation.

If you need assistance, parents can reach out to the Parent Resource Center at  (202)576-5000 or send an email to osse.parentportal@dc.gov.  More information is available below in the letter below and at this link – OSSE Parent Portal_Handout

We encourage families who select the stipend option to be prepared to verify that their information is correct and potentially be prepared to upload those forms again.   Address validation has been an issue for some families, and the sooner you try to complete the forms in the portal, the sooner you can work to resolve any issues.

AJE knows that families might have additional questions – we do too!  We will share any additional information with families as we receive it. OSSE has created this document for families that answers many questions – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – but unfortunately, it is only available in English. The letter above is available in other languages and we link to those translations below.

Again, please remember that schools will no longer be able to submit transportation requests on behalf of families. This task now rests entirely with parents and guardians. If families do not complete the forms through the OSSE-DOT Parent Portal, the school will not be able to certify or process transportation for the student and OSSE-DOT will not provide transportation.