CCSD bus mishaps leave special-needs students stranded during first week of school

Friday, Aug. 14, 2026 | 2 a.m. Christina Ross said her son Kaleb, who has Down syndrome, was left stranded at the curb for the first three days of school because his regular curb‑to‑curb bus never arrived to pick him up. Kaleb requires an aide on the bus to prevent him from removing his harness‑style seat‑belt loop and moving around the vehicle, but no aide was assigned, so the bus skipped his stop without notification. Ross learned of the omission only after the school principal informed her. “He’s been OK because he doesn’t truly recognize why,” Ross said. “He’s just like, ‘This is weird. Why am I still here and everybody else is at school?’” Ross credited the staff at Wolff Elementary School in Henderson for advocating on behalf of students affected by the start‑of‑year busing problems. The Clark County School District acknowledged that buses have been late and irregular this week as the transportation division adapts to new routing and scheduling software. According to the district, on‑time performance improved from 86 percent of buses on Monday to 88 percent on Tuesday and 90 percent on Wednesday. In addition to the software rollout, the district this year introduced new bell schedules intended to allow high‑school students to begin classes later, based on research indicating shifts in adolescent biological rhythms. “Transitioning to a new level for the nation’s largest district‑operated school bus fleet is a complex undertaking, and we admit that we have faced routing and scheduling challenges during the first two days of the school year,” said Felicia Gonzales, CCSD’s assistant superintendent of finance and operations, in a statement. “We are working diligently to improve our performance and guarantee consistent, reliable service for 100 percent of our students. As the year progresses, we will also consolidate bus routes as much as possible without affecting the service provided to students.” Emily Marshall reported similar difficulties with her son Hunter, a four‑year‑old with autism who attends prekindergarten at Mathis Elementary School in the southwest valley. Hunter’s individualized education plan mandates door‑to‑door transportation, but his bus failed to arrive for three of the first four school days. When it did come on Wednesday, it was more than an hour late. As of 9:05 a.m. on Thursday, the parent‑notification app showed that no driver had been assigned to Hunter’s bus; the first bell rings at 8:55 a.m. Marshall said the bus never arrived that morning. Marshall said she does not blame the drivers, noting they are “just trying to do their jobs with what resources they have.” She added that Hunter’s regular afternoon driver has been warm and consistent getting him home, but she questioned the district’s priorities. “How do we not have this figured out, but we were so anxious to change times?” Marshall said. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Hunter told his mother the previous day, “Mom, my bus made me late for my class.” Marshall explained that Hunter recognizes arriving late means missing classroom activities and social opportunities such as snack time, which she described as important for interaction, sharing and learning to help others. She noted that her nephews, who do not have special needs and live about two miles from Mathis, have also been picked up late, making the walk impractical for young children. Marshall’s husband has a flexible work schedule, and Ross is a stay‑at‑home mother, allowing both families to drive their children to school when the buses fail to appear—though they acknowledged many families lack that option. One afternoon this week, Kaleb’s after‑school bus did not arrive either. When Ross went to collect him, she found him sitting with his head in his hands, barefoot and exhausted after waiting an hour in the heat. Now a third‑grader, Kaleb has ridden the bus since kindergarten. Ross said she is accustomed to occasional glitches at the start of a school year, but never to a complete stop being skipped. “It’s not like it’s something new, but it’s just worse now,” she said. “Maybe they need more bus drivers. Maybe they need more aides, but it just seems a little disorganized right now.” CCSD apologized for the disruptions caused by delayed buses and urged parents experiencing issues to contact the transportation department at 702‑799‑8100. (The district’s email address has been omitted per policy.)