Bill > A5177

Introduced Session

This bill modifies the cost thresholds for reimbursement of extraordinary special education costs and requires the State to bear the full cost of nonpublic school transportation for certain school districts. Pursuant to current law, a school district is reimbursed for certain special education costs in the form of extraordinary special education aid. Eligible costs are: 90 percent of costs in excess of $40,000 for students educated in an in-district public school program with non-disabled peers; 75 percent of costs in excess of $40,000 for students educated in a separate public school program for students with disabilities; and 75 percent of tuition costs in excess of $55,000 for students educated in a separate private school for students with disabilities. The bill decreases the cost threshold from $40,000 to $35,000 for students educated in public school programs that are integrated into the classroom. The bill also provides for a gradual phase-in of full funding of extraordinary special education aid over the span of five years. Current law requires a school district to provide transportation services to public school students who live remote from school. "Remote" for school transportation purposes means residing more than two miles from the school of attendance for students enrolled in grades kindergarten through eight and more than two and one-half miles for students enrolled in high school. If a school district provides mandatory busing services to public school students, then it is also required to provide transportation to nonpublic school students who live remote, but no more than 20 miles, from school. The required transportation services for nonpublic school students, however, are to be provided by school districts within a maximum per pupil limit that is established on an annual basis. If a school district is unable to provide the services within the maximum per pupil limit, then the district provides students' parents with an aid-in-lieu-of transportation payment equal to that maximum amount. The State reimburses districts for nonpublic school student transportation costs above $710 per pupil and up to the maximum per pupil amount. Instead of the current reimbursement structure, this bill requires the State to cover the full costs, up to the maximum per pupil amount, to certain eligible school districts providing required transportation to eligible nonpublic school students. As defined in the bill, an eligible school district is one that is required to provide transportation to more than 5,000 students and in which 25 percent or more of the total number of students requiring transportation is comprised of nonpublic school students. It is the sponsor's intent to support school districts that experience an undue burden from providing transportation services to an extraordinary number of public school and nonpublic school students. Eligible school districts pursuant to this bill will benefit from the additional financial relief and will better enable them to provide the nonpublic school student transportation services as required by State law.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Alex Sauickie (R)*,  Robert Clifton (R), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee (on 01/14/2025)

Official Document