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Committee introduces RS32642 to change school transportation funding and reimbursements
Summary
Representative Dan Garner presented RS32642 to revise transportation funding formulas, create 'authorized transportation districts,' exclude virtual students from certain reimbursements and allow alternative vehicle reimbursements; the committee voted to introduce the measure.
Representative Dan Garner, sponsor of RS32642, told the House Committee on Education that the draft reorganizes transportation funding and district definitions and would create "authorized transportation districts" to replace previous terminology.
Garner said the RS removes a previously misunderstood "block grant" concept from public confusion in its earlier form and clarifies reimbursement for virtual students and alternative transportation arrangements. "We were getting a lot of grief about people not understanding the block grant," Garner said, noting the draft also excludes virtual students from bus-related reimbursements so virtual schools will not be funded for buses that do not carry students.
Jack Nelson (Representative, District 26) outlined background on prior funding levels and said the accompanying spreadsheet lists each district's current transportation costs, current reimbursements, and what the new formula would reimburse. He noted that the RS includes a previously appropriated $7,500,000 that had not yet been distributed and that the spreadsheet shows changes in the percent of costs reimbursed under the new approach.
Gideon Tullman of the State Department of Education clarified committee questions about the block grant and virtual students. "The language that was added is excluding any support units attributable to students educated primarily through home based or virtual meetings," he explained, saying that districts that operate hybrid or district-based virtual programs see reductions on the spreadsheet because those support units are being excluded. Tullman added that the block grant itself remains part of the statute and the department will work with legislative staff to simplify the language.
The RS also addresses vehicle types and safety. Garner said the RS permits local districts to use alternative vehicles for small groups (for example, special-needs students or small sports teams) and to seek mileage reimbursement for smaller vehicles; he told the committee that national safety ratings are available to local districts considering vehicle models. On licensing, Garner said a commercial driver's license (CDL) will still be required for statutory school buses; the RS requires additional training for drivers of alternative vehicles and leaves it to districts to determine whether that training must include a CDL for those vehicles.
Representative Harris moved to introduce RS32642; the committee voted by voice to introduce the RS. Committee members asked for a follow-up RS to separate virtual-student reimbursement language into a standalone bill; the sponsors said they intend to return with that separate RS.
