Committee to testify on state bills addressing school-transportation costs; local study results pending
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Summary
Plymouth School Committee members will testify before the Joint Committee on Education in support of two bills addressing transportation funding and pricing; the district has received one of two transportation studies and will present results at a future meeting.
Plymouth — The School Committee said on June 2 that members and staff will testify before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Education on bills aimed at easing school-transportation costs and addressing predatory pricing.
Representative Susan Badger filed two bills the committee plans to support: H.513, "An Act requiring equitable funding for non‑regional school districts with high transportation costs," and H.4011, "An Act eliminating predatory transportation pricing of school districts," the chair said. Committee members and district staff, including district leaders and town representatives, were scheduled to provide written and oral testimony the following day.
Why it matters: Transportation is a significant line-item for many districts. Committee members said they expect testimony to highlight inequities that impose disproportionate costs on nonregional districts and to urge state remedies.
Local study status: The district has received one of two transportation studies (Alliance Education Associates) and expects a presentation of findings to the committee on June 16; the Massachusetts Association report was still pending. The committee will use the studies to inform local and state advocacy.
Ending: The committee said it appreciated Representative Badger’s sponsorship and expected the testimony and the forthcoming consultant presentation to guide future decisions on transportation policy and budgeting.