New Jersey Senate Bill S2059

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/24
• Refer: 1/9/24
• Chaptered: 1/9/24
• Passed: 1/9/24

Caption

Establishes nonpublic school transportation program to provide funding to consortiums of nonpublic schools that will assume responsibility for mandated nonpublic school busing.

Impact

The implementation of S2059 will significantly impact how transportation for nonpublic school students is managed and funded within the state. The bill requires the formation of a consortium where nonpublic schools within one or more counties can band together to streamline their transportation services. Additionally, participating schools will no longer directly handle the transportation but will delegate the responsibility to the consortium, which is mandated to ensure compliance and efficiency. This change aims to improve coordination and perhaps reduce costs at the school district level.

Summary

Senate Bill S2059 establishes a nonpublic school transportation program in New Jersey aimed at providing funding to consortiums of nonpublic schools. The primary objective of this program is to allow these consortiums to take on the responsibilities of mandated transportation for nonpublic school students. The bill outlines that participating school districts are required to disburse a specific aid amount for each student attending a nonpublic school that is part of the consortium. Currently, this amount is set at $1,022 per pupil. If the cost of transportation exceeds this amount, parents or guardians will still be eligible to receive funding from the consortium.

Contention

There are potential points of contention regarding the bill, particularly concerning the financial implications for public school districts. As the consortium will be responsible for transportation, there may be concerns about the allocation of funds and the effectiveness of transportation services provided to nonpublic school families. Stakeholders might debate whether the aid amount is sufficient and what mechanisms are in place to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of funds, especially as a portion of the money is used for administrative costs. Additionally, the requirement for parents of non-mandated students to bear the full cost of any additional transportation could raise questions about equity and access.