The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Education
BILL: SB 270
INTRODUCER: Senator Hutson
SUBJECT: Funds for Student Transportation
DATE: November 2, 2021
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Jahnke Bouck ED Favorable
2. AED
3. AP
I. Summary:
SB 270 modifies the district school board’s criterion for identifying students who are funded for
transportation services from students living two miles or more from school to at least one mile
from school. The change may result in more students transported by a school district.
The bill does not have an impact on state revenues or expenditures. See Section V.
The bill takes effect July 1, 2022.
II. Present Situation:
Florida law specifies the responsibilities of the district school superintendents and district school
boards regarding the transportation of students to and from school.
District School Superintendent Duties Regarding Transportation
The district school superintendent must:
1
Ascertain which students should be transported to school or to school activities;
Determine the most effective arrangement of transportation routes to accommodate these
students and recommend such routing to the district school board;
Recommend plans and procedures for providing facilities for the economical and safe
transportation of students; and
Recommend such rules as may be necessary and see that all rules relating to the
transportation of students approved by the district school board, as well as rules of the State
Board of Education (SBE), are properly carried into effect, as prescribed in law.
1
Section 1006.21(1), F.S.
REVISED: BILL: SB 270 Page 2
District School Board Duties Regarding Transportation
Each district school board must, after considering recommendations from the district school
superintendent, provide transportation for each student in prekindergarten disability programs
and in kindergarten through grade 12 in a public school when, and only when, transportation is
necessary to provide adequate educational facilities and opportunities which otherwise would not
be available and to transport students whose homes are more than a reasonable walking distance,
as defined by SBE rule, from the nearest appropriate school.
2
The SBE rule defines “a reasonable walking distance,” for any student not already identified in
law as eligible to be transported, as any distance not more than two miles between the home and
school or one and one-half miles between the home and the assigned bus stop.
3
Currently, each
district must identify those students who are transported by reason of living two miles or more
from school.
4
Funds for Student Transportation
School districts receive an annual allocation for transportation to public school programs,
including charter schools, of students in kindergarten through grade 12.
5
In 2021-22, the FEFP
includes $458,641,984 in funding through the Student Transportation Allocation, which provides
an average of $414 in funding per base student rider and $1,885 in funding for a rider with
disabilities.
6
School districts typically spend more than double what they receive in transportation specific
funding through the FEFP.
7
In the 2019-2020 school year, school districts reported spending
$999,372,387 to transport 1,046,269 students, which included 954,888 students eligible for
funding and 91,381 students who were not eligible for transportation funding, known as
“courtesy riders.”
8
This averaged $955.18 per rider.
9
Each district must identify students to be included in the allocation who are transported by
reason of:
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Living two miles or more from school.
Being a student with disabilities or enrolled in a teenage parent program, regardless of
distance from school.
Being in a state prekindergarten program, regardless of distance from school.
Being a career and technical education or dual enrollment student, or a student with
disabilities transported from one school center to another to participate in an instructional
program or service.
2
Section 1006.21(3)(a), F.S.
3
Rule 6A-3.001(3), F.A.C.
4
Section 1011.68(1)(a), F.S.
5
Section 1011.68, F.S. Students in migrant and exceptional education programs below kindergarten are also eligible to be
included in the transportation allocation. Id.
6
Florida Department of Education, 2022 Agency Legislative Bill Analysis of SB 270 (Oct. 26. 2021), at 3.
7
Florida Department of Education, 2022 Agency Legislative Bill Analysis of SB 270 (Oct. 26. 2021), at 2.
8
Id.
9
Florida Department of Education, 2022 Agency Legislative Bill Analysis of SB 270 (Oct. 26. 2021), at 4
10
Section 1003.54, F.S. BILL: SB 270 Page 3
Being subjected to hazardous walking conditions en route to or from school for elementary
students whose grade level does not exceed grade six.
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Being a pregnant student or student parent, and the child of a student parent regardless of
distance from school.
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
SB 270 modifies the district school board’s criteria for identifying public school students in
kindergarten through grade 12 with regards to funding for student transportation services. The
bill changes the criterion school districts use to identify transported students from those students
living two miles or more from school to at least one mile from school.
Specifically, the bill requires school districts to transport any student who lives one mile or more
from the school. The modification in the bill to the transportation funding provision would
require a corresponding change to the State Board of Education rule definition of “reasonable
walking distance.”
The bill takes effect July 1, 2022.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
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Hazardous walking conditions are defined in law for walkways parallel to a road, perpendicular to a road, or crossings over
a road. Section 1006.23, F.S. BILL: SB 270 Page 4
B. Private Sector Impact:
Under the bill, any student who lives one mile or more from the school would now be
eligible for transportation services, and so the families may no longer incur the cost of
transportation.
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C. Government Sector Impact:
The bill does not have an impact on state revenues or expenditures.
However, school districts may incur additional costs to transport the additional students.
This potential cost includes expenses related to the adjustment in bus routes and school
start times, and may also necessitate the purchase of additional buses.
13
Under the bill, school districts would be required to transport any student who lives one
mile or more from the school. The DOE has estimated that the bill would result in
approximately 193,110 additional riders. Transporting these additional students could
increase the cost to school districts by approximately $184.5 million (193,110 students x
$955.18 per rider) each year.
14
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill substantially amends section 1011.68 of the Florida Statutes.
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.
12
Florida Department of Education, 2022 Agency Legislative Bill Analysis of SB 270 (Oct. 26. 2021), at 5.
13
Id. at 4.
14
Id.