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D.C. sued over ‘failure’ to bus kids with disabilities to and from school

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D.C. sued over ‘failure’ to bus kids with disabilities to and from school


A group of D.C. parents, along with a disability rights organization, alleges in a new lawsuit that the city has failed to transport students with special needs to and from school on time — causing disruptions that they say deprive children of critical time in classes or therapies, create daily uncertainties over schedules, and, in some cases, threaten students’ health.

Most children in D.C. get to school on public buses and trains. But about 4,000 students rely on a fleet of school buses because they have physical or intellectual disabilities that prevent them from using public transportation or require them to attend faraway schools that offer special services.

Five families and the Arc of the United States nonprofit say the buses often arrive hours after children’s scheduled pickup times and return them home long after school has ended. Parents across the city have reported calling the police because they could not locate their children or using Apple AirTags to track their kids after school, said Kathy Zeisel, director of special legal projects at the Children’s Law Center.

Joann McCray, whose 12-year-old son has autism and who is one of the parents suing the city, said the frequent bus delays forced her to purchase a car. “I didn’t want a car note, but I want to get my son to school on time,” said McCray, who lives in Southeast Washington. She said the busing problems had led to frequent late arrivals at school, affecting her son’s attendance and grades.

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McCray and other parents in the city say they have tried other channels — making phone calls, sending emails and complaining to lawmakers — to no avail. Now, they are taking the issue to court. The suit accuses the city, and its Office of the State Superintendent of Education, which manages the buses, of “systemic failures” that violate local policies and federal laws entitling their children to a fair education.

With too few bus drivers, schools struggle to get kids to class

The plaintiffs are asking the court to order D.C. leaders to follow students’ special education plans and provide them with “safe, reliable, and appropriate transportation services.” They have asked for compensatory education to make up for schooling children may have missed, as well as policy changes to prevent future problems.

An OSSE spokesman said the agency does not comment on pending litigation, but officials have previously acknowledged the problems with the school bus service and pointed to a national shortage of drivers. The agency created a website that shows which buses are running behind schedule, reimburses families if they have to make other travel arrangements and is working on a new program to increase the number of drivers.

During a recent D.C. Council hearing, the superintendent’s office shared that 96 percent of buses have left their terminals on time this school year. But that figure does not indicate whether a bus makes it to a child’s house or school on time.

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“We do track internally what time the buses get to the school,” Christina Grant, the city’s state superintendent of education, told lawmakers. “What we share out is what time buses leave because that’s the information that gets to parents, and they know that if the bus leaves the terminal 15 minutes late, there’s going to be a trickle-down effect on when the bus is going to show up to … their home.”

But families said the information that the superintendent’s office shares about a bus’s status has been inaccurate. And, according to the lawsuit, families are not notified when their children’s buses encounter delays after leaving the terminal — leaving them unaware of when to expect their children to be picked up or dropped off.

This often triggers a last-minute scramble for different accommodations. Families have reported ordering Ubers or taking time away from work to complete school drop-off or pickup themselves. Crystal Robertson, the guardian of her 11-year-old nephew, who relies on a school bus, has turned to her adult son or teenage niece for help. Robertson’s niece, who is in high school, has been late to school on days when she had to help her brother, she said.

Critics of D.C.’s ‘Safe Passage’ question whether school commutes are safer

Robertson’s nephew has autism and thrives based on routines, she said. When his bus is late, it throws his entire day off — causing tantrums and making it difficult for him to focus when he finally does get to school. “After that, it’s just pure emotion and panic mode,” she said.

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Robertson called her experiences with the superintendent’s office “horrible.” On one occasion, her nephew’s bus driver took him to the wrong school, she said, and another time, he was dropped off in the afternoon at his late mother’s house. Robertson said her family had to split up to find him. “As he’s getting off the bus, he’s excited like he’s going to see his mom,” she said. “To me, [the superintendent’s office] didn’t show no remorse about what they were doing.”

Now, Robertson said, the superintendent’s office sends a private van to pick up her nephew.

But other families are still looking for relief. In addition to late arrivals, the complaint claims that bus drivers have picked children up from school early. Sometimes, students are not picked up from school at all, according to the lawsuit.

The suit also alleges that students have had to endure long bus rides where they couldn’t access food, medications or bathrooms. Other times, buses are missing the supports or accommodations — such as wheelchair accessibility, nurses or aides — that riders with disabilities need.

Elizabeth Daggett, who lives in Brookland, told council members recently that her son came home late once because his bus didn’t have the latch for his safety harness. He had to stay at school until another bus could get him, she said.

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“It is already a heavy lift for families to care for a disabled child, but when the support services break down, it is overwhelming,” Daggett wrote in her testimony to lawmakers. “It is unsustainable for families to have to continue to figure out student transportation and unacceptable that OSSE allowed this dire situation to happen.”



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Washington, D.C

India-US trade deal: Indian team reaches Washington DC for fresh round of talks; Donald Trump’s tariff deadline nears – Times of India

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India-US trade deal: Indian team reaches Washington DC for fresh round of talks; Donald Trump’s tariff deadline nears – Times of India


India and the United States aim to resolve disagreements in key sectors, particularly agriculture and automobiles. (AI image)

India-US trade deal: As US President Donald Trump’s fresh reciprocal tariff deadline of August 1, 2025 nears, a senior delegation from India’s Commerce and Industry Ministry has landed in Washington DC. The team will look to finalize an interim trade deal between India and the US.India and the United States aim to resolve disagreements in key sectors, particularly agriculture and automobiles, whilst working towards a mutually beneficial trade agreement.

India Pushes Bold Quad Vision in Washington, Jaishankar To Meet Marco Rubio | Operation Sindoor

The US administration under Trump has extended the deadline for implementing additional tariffs on various nations, including India, until August 1, providing extra time for negotiations beyond the initial July 9 cut-off date.Donald Trump has been on a tariff letter spending spree since last week, and has threatened high tariffs on over 20 countries. Notably, India has not received any such letter till now and Trump said last week that the US was nearing a trade deal with India.Also Read | India-US trade deal: Will Donald Trump go for less than 20% tariff rate for India? Top 10 developments to track

India-US Trade Deal Talks

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  • According to an ANI report, discussions on the mini or interim bilateral trade agreement (BTA) between India and the US are expected to start Monday morning (US time) and will span across four days.
  • The Chief Negotiator and Special Secretary of the Commerce Ministry, Rajesh Aggarwal, is scheduled to participate in the talks from Wednesday, the report said.
  • The early arrival of the preliminary team before the chief negotiator indicates a systematic approach, where initial talks will likely address agenda setting and procedural aspects, followed by detailed negotiations with senior officials.
  • A few days ago, a Bloomberg report quoting sources said that the US is working on a trade deal with India, in which America will impose a tariff rate of less than 20%. This would be lower than the 26% tariff rate announced by Trump on April 2.

India and the US have expressed interest in expanding their trade relationships and bolstering their economic collaboration through diversified partnerships.India maintains a significant trade relationship with the United States, which stands as one of its principal trading partners. American companies increasingly view India as a crucial market for their international expansion plans.Also Read | India-US trade deal: Opening India’s dairy sector to America could cause huge losses; ‘Rs 1.03 lakh crore annually…’An official statement last week confirmed that Indian negotiators would visit the United States to advance the ongoing trade discussions.Both nations have set a target to enhance their bilateral trade volume to $500 billion by 2030, with plans to establish a formal Bilateral Trade Agreement.Officials from India’s Department of Commerce have engaged in multiple discussions with their counterparts from the Office of the US Trade Representative to finalise a comprehensive trade agreement.





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‘We got to come out to vote as a people’: Early voting continues in special election in Ward 8 DC Council seat – WTOP News

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‘We got to come out to vote as a people’: Early voting continues in special election in Ward 8 DC Council seat – WTOP News


Early voting continues to fill the seat on the D.C. Council that Trayon White held before he was expelled in February by the council after being charged with taking bribes.

Residents went to the Anacostia Public Library Saturday to cast their ballots for the Ward 8 seat on the D.C. Council.
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)

WTOP/Jimmy Alexander

Ballot stations in Southeast DC
Additional ballot stations at the Anacostia Public Library.
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)

WTOP/Jimmy Alexander

Early voting sheet
The Board of Elections posted the numbers of early voting at Anacostia Public Library in Southeast D.C.
(WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)

WTOP/Jimmy Alexander

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Early voting continues to fill the seat on the D.C. Council that Trayon White held before he was expelled in February by the council after being charged with taking bribes.

Ward 8 residents went to the Anacostia Public Library in Southeast D.C. Saturday to cast their ballots for the council seat. The candidates are White, Mike Austin, Salim Adofo and Sheila Bunn.

“This will be the best time to get a new councilmember on Ward 8,” said Andrea Tucker.

The main issues for voters included crime, new restaurants, new recreation centers and keeping children off the streets.

Another voter, Allan Bussey, said that to see change, people will have to go out and cast their ballots.

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“We got to come out to vote as a people. We need young voters, if we can get them, all the way up to our elders,” Bussey said.

Early voting runs through Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s election.

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© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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Man accused of shooting 3-year-old in DC held without bond – WTOP News

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Man accused of shooting 3-year-old in DC held without bond – WTOP News


The man accused of shooting and killing a three-year-old girl in Southeast D.C. will be held without bond.

The man accused of shooting and killing a 3-year-old girl in Southeast D.C. will be held without bond.

Charles Rucker, 24, appeared in court Saturday on a charge of first-degree murder while armed after his arrest on Friday for the shooting of Honesty Cheadle.

Cheadle was with her family in a car parked on 14th Street on July 5 when Rucker allegedly opened fire on the car at least six times, shooting the toddler in the head.

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According to the arrest warrant, Rucker fled the scene but returned three minutes later and was seen on camera shining his flashlight at the ground and picking up different items.

The arrest warrant states he was likely picking up shell casings.

Cheadle was taken to a hospital by DC Fire and EMS personnel, where she died on Monday.

A preliminary hearing for Rucker will be held on Aug. 13.

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© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.



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