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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 329 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 513
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Michelle L. Badger and Kathleen R. LaNatra
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act requiring equitable funding for non-regional school districts with high transportation
costs.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Michelle L. Badger1st Plymouth1/8/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 329 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 513
By Representatives Badger of Plymouth and LaNatra of Kingston, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 513) of Michelle L. Badger relative to funding for non-regional school districts
with high transportation costs. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act requiring equitable funding for non-regional school districts with high transportation
costs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2JJJJJJ the
2following section:-
3 2KKKKKK. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth
4a separate fund to be known as the Extraordinary Routes Relief Fund. The fund shall be credited
5with: (i) appropriations or other money authorized or transferred by the general court and
6specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) funds from public and private sources,
7including, but not limited to, gifts, grants and donations; and (iii) any interest earned on the
8assets of the fund. Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended, subject to appropriation, in
9grants to eligible non-regional school districts for transportation costs, including but not limited
10to the purchase and maintenance of buses, fuel costs and driver salaries. Amounts credited to the
11fund shall be made available for expenditure upon their certification pursuant to section 5I. The 2 of 3
12account shall not be subject to section 5C. The comptroller shall certify the balance of the fund at
13the end of each fiscal year.
14 (b) There shall be a committee to oversee the fund established in subsection (a). The
15committee shall consist of 11 members to be appointed by the commissioner of elementary and
16secondary education, 8 of whom shall be representatives from regional and non-regional school
17districts, and 3 of whom shall be representatives of the department of elementary and secondary
18education. The committee shall ensure the fair and transparent allocation of funds through a
19grant program to eligible non-regional school districts.
20 (c) Eligible non-regional school districts may apply for grants from the fund to cover a
21portion of their transportation-related expenses. A non-regional school district shall be eligible to
22apply for a grant from the fund if its transportation costs per pupil exceed 125 per cent of the
23average transportation costs per pupil in the commonwealth, as determined by the department of
24elementary and secondary education. The committee may grant a school district up to 40 per cent
25of the excess between the school district’s transportation costs per pupil and the average
26transportation costs per pupil in the commonwealth.
27 (d) Annually, not later than July 1, each school district applying for a grant shall submit a
28report to the department of elementary and secondary education that shall include, for the
29preceding school year, the number of pupils in the district, the district’s actual transportation
30costs, the number of school busses or other transport vehicles used and the total number of miles
31traveled for school transport.
32 (e) Annually, the department of elementary and secondary education shall conduct a
33review of the effectiveness and impact of the funds expended from the fund and evaluate 3 of 3
34whether non-regional school districts are receiving adequate support to address their
35transportation challenges. Annually, not later than June 30, the department shall submit a report
36to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the joint committee on education.