BillTrack50 logo
Free Signup Login
Bill

Bill > S787

NJ S787

NJ S787
Provides supplemental transportation aid to certain districts participating in interdistrict public school choice program.

summary

Introduced
01/09/2024
In Committee
05/20/2024
Crossed Over
05/20/2024
Passed
Dead
01/12/2026

Introduced Session

2024-2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill provides supplemental transportation aid to certain districts participating in the interdistrict public school choice program. Under the bill, a choice district located in a city of the second class, which district has been directed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to engage in efforts to desegregate the student population, is responsible for providing transportation, including the organization of bus routes and bidding for transportation services, or aid-in-lieu-of transportation, to certain elementary and secondary school pupils to attend the choice district. Under the bill, the sending district will receive State aid for transportation for those students transported to the choice district. The sending district will then pay directly to the choice district the State aid for transportation, or aid-in-lieu-of amount, received by the sending district under the bill. The bill also provides supplemental State aid for transportation for a choice district responsible for transporting students from a sending district pursuant to the provisions of the bill when the total costs of providing transportation from the sending districts to the choice district exceeds the amount of State aid for transportation the sending district receives pursuant to the bill. To be eligible to receive the supplemental State aid for transportation, the choice district is required to demonstrate to the commissioner that the bus routes will utilize cost efficient methods. The choice district is to annually report to the Department of Education at the end of each school year the cost of providing transportation to students from a sending district that exceed the amount of funds the choice district receives from the sending district under the bill. The department is required to reimburse the choice district for the additional costs reported.

AI Summary

This bill provides additional state funding for transportation costs for certain school districts that participate in a public school choice program, particularly those located in cities of the second class that have been ordered by the New Jersey Supreme Court to work towards desegregating their student populations. These "choice districts" are responsible for arranging transportation, or providing money instead of transportation (aid-in-lieu), for eligible elementary and secondary students attending their schools from other districts, known as "sending districts." The sending districts will receive state aid for this transportation and then pass that aid directly to the choice district. If the choice district's actual transportation costs exceed the state aid received from the sending districts, they can apply for supplemental state aid, provided they can prove their bus routes are cost-efficient, for example, by using centralized pick-up points and serving students from multiple sending districts. The choice district must report these excess costs annually to the Department of Education, which will then reimburse them for the difference.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance, Education

Sponsors (3)

Last Action

Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Education Committee (on 05/20/2024)
(3 Companion Bills)

bill text

bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Loading...

bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/S787
BillText https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/S1000/787_I1.HTM
Fiscal Note - Fiscal Estimate 5/22/2024; as introduced https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S1000/787_E1.PDF
Analysis - Statement SBA 3/11/24 https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S1000/787_S2.PDF
Analysis - Technical Review Of Prefiled Bill https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S1000/787_T1.PDF
Analysis - Statement SED 1/25/24 https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S1000/787_S1.PDF
BillText https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2024/S1000/787_I1.HTM
Loading...