School aid: fiscal year appropriations; appropriation of certain funds for rural district transportation; provide for. Amends 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1601 - 388.1896) by adding sec. 22e.
Impact
The bill specifies a tiered reimbursement structure based on the number of pupils per square mile. Districts with fewer than 10 pupils per square mile could receive $250 per pupil, those with between 10 and 15 pupils could receive $200 per pupil, and those with 15 to 20 pupils would be eligible for $150 per pupil. This structured reimbursement aims to provide equitable support based on varying transportation costs and challenges faced by rural districts, potentially leading to improved transportation access for students in these areas.
Summary
Senate Bill 0042 proposes amendments to the 1979 PA 94, specifically addressing funding provisions for rural school districts in Michigan. The bill allocates up to $50 million from the state school aid fund to reimburse eligible districts for transportation costs incurred during the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The intent of this allocation is to provide financial support specifically to those districts that have low student density, defined as fewer than 20 pupils per square mile, recognizing the unique challenges they face in providing adequate transportation services to students.
Contention
There may be points of contention regarding the allocation process and the sufficiency of the funding. The bill includes a provision that if the total funding is insufficient to cover the calculated payments, the department will prorate the reimbursements. This could lead to disputes over the adequacy of funding and the fairness of proration. Additionally, the requirement for the Department to provide a detailed report to legislative committees by January 1, 2024, examining rural transportation funding will likely prompt discussions about the long-term sustainability of funding for these districts and the potential disparities that may arise in allocation.
Appropriations: school aid; fiscal year 2025-2026 appropriations for k-12 school aid; provide for. Amends secs. 11 & 17b of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1611 & 388.1617b).
Appropriations: school aid; fiscal year 2023-2024 appropriations for K-12 school aid; provide for. Amends secs. 11 & 17b of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1611 & 388.1617b).
Appropriations: school aid; funding for districts and intermediate districts that have certain student-to-teacher ratios: provide for. Amends 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1601 - 388.1896) by adding sec. 31ff.
Appropriations: school aid; fiscal year 2024-2025 appropriations for K-12 school aid; provide for. Amends secs. 11 & 31aa of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1611 & 388.1631aa) & adds 97h.
Appropriations: school aid; appropriations in the school aid act for fiscal year 2024-2025; provide for. Amends secs. 11 & 17b of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1611 & 388.1617b).
Appropriations: supplemental; supplemental appropriations in the school aid act for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023; provide for. Amends secs. 11, 22b, 31f, 39a, 51a, 51c, 53a, 54 & 147c of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1611 et seq.).
School aid: supplemental; fiscal year 2024-2025 supplemental appropriations for K-12 school aid; provide for. Amends secs. 11 & 31aa of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1611 & 388.1631aa).
Payments for school district transportation of students, special education students, and career and technical education students, the distribution of transportation payments in the event of school district closure, and state transportation payments to school districts; and to provide an effective date.