Senator Torres Introduces Legislation to Increase State Funding for School Transportation Costs
Contact: Alex Barrios
916-651-4757
Proposal would increase reimbursement rates to help underfunded school districts
SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator Norma Torres (D-Pomona) has introduced legislation to increase school transportation reimbursement rates for districts that are severely underfunded. The bill, SB 1137, would increase the rate at which school districts are reimbursed for approved transportation costs. Under the proposal, districts reimbursed at less than 50 percent of state-approved costs would, during a phase-in period, be bumped up to a 50 percent reimbursement rate. It would also provide a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for transportation funding for all school districts.
“Making sure children get to and from school safely needs to be a high priority,” said Senator Torres. “This proposal would ensure many school districts get a fairer share of funding.”
The current statewide district reimbursement rate for home-to-school transportation is 38 percent. The funding distribution is so uneven that some school districts see less than 10 percent reimbursement, while others receive over 80 percent of their approved costs. It is estimated that approximately $800 million annually must be taken from school district general fund revenues to fund home-to-school transportation budget deficits.
The most recent data available from the California Department of Education show school districts spent over $1.2 billion transporting students. In the 2012-2013 budget, school districts received less than $492 million in funding from the state to pay these costs, resulting in a funding deficit of $800 million.
“From winding country roads to busy city streets, school buses carry the most precious cargo: our children,” said California School Employees Association (CSEA) President Michael Bilbrey, whose organization supports the bill. “Full and adequate funding for home-to-school transportation ensures that there are sufficiently trained drivers, properly maintained buses, and sufficient routes to safely transport 800,000 California students each day. Only with proper and equalized funding can we ensure that school districts keep those vital big yellow buses rolling with our students,” Bilbrey added.
In addition to CSEA, the bill is supported by the California School Boards Association and a growing coalition of school transportation advocates.
“Transportation is a critical student service that many districts need, yet years of increasing costs and flawed funding formula have made state school transportation inadequate. CSBA has consistently advocated for increased funding for school transportation and the need to re-examine the inadequacy of the current funding formula. CSBA deeply appreciates Senator Torres’ authorship of SB 1137 which will begin to address important aspects of this flawed formula,” said CSBA CEO & Executive Director Vernon M. Billy.