12120 Old, Alexandria, VA 22302

I am extremely disappointed with how Charles Barrett Elementary has handled my son’s first week of preschool.My son has an IEP and receives specialized transportation. Despite school starting this week, his transportation was not properly arranged, and I was only made aware of the problem after I began calling around myself. I was told the transportation request was submitted late and that he may not have transportation until Monday. As a result, my child could miss almost his entire first week of school because of an administrative issue that I had no control over.What is most upsetting is the lack of urgency and concern about the instructional time he is losing. I am the parent, not the school employee responsible for submitting transportation requests. My son should not be the one paying the price for a breakdown in communication or paperwork between the school, his teacher and the transportation department.I have been passed between departments instead of being given an immediate solution. This is a 3-year-old child with an IEP who is supposed to be receiving services and attending school. Missing the first several days of school is not a small inconvenience it affects his education, routine, and services.I expected much better communication, preparation, and accountability from Charles Barrett Elementary, especially when dealing with a young child who has an IEP. I am asking the school to take responsibility for what happened and provide an immediate solution so my son can attend school without losing any more instructional time, but I'm sure from all of my experiences with Alexandria Public Schools this issue will not be resolved. I have sent an email to the director while also ccing everyone on the team.