Bill > A5712

Introduced Session

This bill establishes a nonpublic school consortium transportation program to provide funding to consortiums of nonpublic schools that are to assume responsibility for participating school districts' mandated nonpublic school busing for those students. Under the program, a participating school district is to disburse to the consortium an amount equal to the aid in-lieu-of transportation amount (currently set at $1,022) for each nonpublic school pupil who is attending a nonpublic school which is a part of the consortium and who is required by law to be transported by a school district. The bill requires the State to bear the full cost of providing the aid in-lieu-of transportation amount of $1,022. The consortium is to assume the responsibilities of transporting the pupils for whom it receives the aid in-lieu-of transportation amount. The bill provides that if the per pupil cost of the lowest bid received exceeds the aid in-lieu-of transportation amount, the parent or guardian of the student is to be eligible to receive the aid in-lieu-of transportation amount from the consortium for that school year. In addition to providing transportation for students who are mandated to be transported, the consortium may provide non-mandated busing to students attending the nonpublic schools that are a part of the consortium, provided that the parents or guardians of those students pay all of the costs of that transportation. At the end of the school year, the consortium is required to refund annually the Department of Education any unexpended funds received. The bill requires the Commissioner of Education to establish a committee to oversee the operations of each consortium in implementing the program. The committee is to consist of five members appointed by the commissioner, one of whom is to represent a nonpublic school that is part of the consortium, and one of whom is to represent a school district that is participating in the program. Under the provisions of the bill, the consortium is required to annually enter into a contract with an independent entity to audit the implementation of the program and the audit is required to be submitted to the commissioner no later than December 1 of each year. The bill's provisions are not to be construed as altering the amount paid by the State for nonpublic school transportation costs pursuant to N.J.S.A.18A:39-1a for any school district that participates in the program.

Committee Categories

Alex Sauickie (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee (on 11/20/2023)

Official Document