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Panel releases bill to have state cover part of transportation costs for homeless students
Summary
Senate Bill 2620 would require the state to bear part of the transportation cost for certain homeless students; homelessness advocates told the committee transportation is a leading barrier to attendance and that New Jersey has seen steep increases in family homelessness.
The Senate Education Committee released Senate Bill 2620, which would require the state to bear a partial cost of transporting certain students experiencing homelessness to school.
Raissa Ruben Stankiewicz, policy associate for the New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness, told the committee the state is facing a growing homelessness crisis and that transportation is a key barrier to school attendance. "Homelessness has increased 57% over the past 3 years in New Jersey," she said, adding that "transportation is often the largest barrier we see to education for students experiencing homelessness" and noting that nearly half of unhoused students nationwide are chronically absent.
Committee members pressed for clarity on how the benefit would be provided — whether bus tickets, district arrangements or other mechanisms — and discussed provisions that would cover costs when transportation expenses exceed the district's average per‑pupil transportation cost. Witnesses urged a modest amendment to differentiate regular and special‑education transportation so districts with high special‑education costs are not excluded from support.
After testimony and questions, the committee voted to release the bill to the next stage of consideration.
