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Bill > S2758
NJ S2758
NJ S2758Provides supplemental transportation aid to certain districts participating in interdistrict public school choice program.
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 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 is to receive State aid for transportation for those students transported to the choice district. The sending district is then to pay directly to the choice district the State aid for transportation, or aid-in-lieu-of amount, received by the sending district pursuant to 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 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 pursuant to the bill. The department is required to reimburse the choice district for the additional costs reported.
AI Summary
This bill provides additional financial assistance for transportation to certain school districts that are part of 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. Under this bill, these "choice districts" are responsible for arranging and paying for transportation, or providing money instead of transportation (aid-in-lieu-of), for eligible elementary and secondary students attending their schools from outside the district, as long as the school is within a reasonable distance. The districts where these students originally reside, known as "sending districts," will receive State aid for this transportation and are required to pass that aid directly to the choice district. If the actual cost of transporting these students exceeds the State aid received by the sending district, the choice district can apply for supplemental State aid. To qualify for this extra aid, the choice district must prove to the Commissioner of Education that their bus routes are cost-efficient, using methods like central pick-up points and combining students from different sending districts. The choice district must then report these excess transportation costs annually to the Department of Education, which will reimburse them for the difference.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee (on 01/13/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/S2758 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/S3000/2758_I1.HTM |
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