home to school transportation plan california

The Legislature then could use these funds for any educational purpose, such as increases in LCFF base rates or special education funding to benefit all districts. Fundamental Questions Arise When Considering Future of HTST Funding. Funding transportation costs within the LCFF also would be consistent with the way the state has treated nearly all other categorical programs. Head over to our Chapter Events Page to see what's going on in your area. Eliminates separate HTST spending requirements for general and special education transportation. Eliminates HTST funding when state revenues fall below projections, pursuant to trigger cuts included in the. State Law Allows Districts to Determine Whether to Provide Transportation. California Vehicle Code 22112 School Bus Signal and School Bus Stops: (a) On approach to a school bus . Privately Owned Vehicle (POV) Mileage Reimbursement Rates | GSA b Amount required beyond current state appropriation for HometoSchool Transportation. Which reform option the Legislature selects ultimately will depend upon its policy goals for pupil transportation and how much state funding it wants to dedicate to this purpose. Rialto Unified School District Transportation Safety Plan . PDF Home-To-School Transportation Program - California State Auditor The existing fiscal incentives to get students to school will continue under LCFF, as district funding will continue to be linked to student attendance. At the low end, if the state were to fund 35 percent of expenditures and hold districts harmless from funding decreases, state costs would increase by roughly $120 million beyond the funding currently provided for HTST. (This perpupil figure is based on all pupils enrolled in a district, not just those riding the bus on a daily basis.) Schools have (Bus riders with disabilities cost an average of $6,100 annually, whereas riders without disabilities average $1,100.) We appreciate you taking the time to review the Transportation plan and provide us with your input. When the Legislature adopted the LCFF, it addressed numerous historical anomalies and inequities in school funding. 2010 Other Budget Issues. These fees averaged about $315 per rider per year, but ranged from as low as $20 to as high as $960. They are a district of 400,000 students. 1610 R Street, Suite 300 We're asking for your input on the plan linked below as we work to finalize and take to the board for adoption. PDF Home-to-School Transportation Program - California State Auditor Monroe Families - Home-to-School (HTS) Transportation Reimbursement was implemented by Assembly Bill (AB) 181 and amended by AB 185. Specifically, the Legislature asked us to recommend how the state might address historical funding inequities and improve incentives for local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide efficient and effective pupil transportation services. Adopting any of the three options contained in this report would be a notable improvement to the states existing HTST program and help the Legislature further its goal of building a school funding system that is simple, transparent, and rational. Monroe Elementary School District Home Page, 2021 Expanded Learning Opportunities Grant Plan, Safe Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Services Plan. Through your hard work and dedication, we continue to set the standard for student transportation safety in California. Sec. RCSD aims to put more students in schools that are closer to home. What At the high end, selecting a 50 percent share of expenditures would increase state costs by roughly $260 million. (These averages include spending for students both with and without disabilities. Our taxes are sky high. . Pleasant Valley School District Transportation Safety Plan 2019-2020 . Specifically, while statewide perrider expenditures averaged $1,800 in 201112, about onequarter of districts spent less than $1,000 per rider and about onequarter of districts spent more than $2,500 per rider. December 1, 2022 Home to School Transportation Reimbursement Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Home-to-School (HTS) Transportation Reimbursement was implemented by Assembly Bill (AB) 181 (Chapter 52, Statutes of 2022) and amended by AB 185 (Chapter 571, Statutes of 2022). That HTST funding on average has covered less than half of associated costs suggests that this program has not been the principal reason that districts historically have offered transportation services. The 2022-23 California Spending Plan: Proposition 98 These ridership trends differ notably from many other states. (As under Option 1, the state could use the remaining savings at full implementation for any educational purpose.). Under a new state law, California Education Code Section 39800.1 requires that school districts develop a Transportation Services plan. Home To School Transportation Plan - monroe.k12.ca.us Implementation Costs Depend on Transition Approach. (As with Option 2, allowable expenditures could include an amortized busreplacement cost, and the state would collect information to verify expenditures.) Monroe Families - Home-to-School (HTS) Transportation Reimbursement was implemented by Assembly Bill (AB) 181 and amended by AB 185. Meanwhile, 25-year veteran Robert Sorber of Miller Creek School District received his award last month. . Should the states funding approach account for the diverse circumstances that districts face and the different decisions they historically have made about what transportation services to offer. So too, however, do many other district costs for which the state does not provide differential amounts of funding. Your unwavering commitment to excellence and professionalism has not gone unnoticed. Adopting a new transportation formula would rectify the two widely recognized problems with the states existing HTST program. (This total also includes a small amount of funding from other state categorical programsprimarily special educationthat can be used for transportation in limited cases.) To provide input regarding this draft plan, please email craigbowden@mymonroe.org. Addresses Main Flaws in Existing State Approach. Some Federal Funds Can Be Used to Cover Mandatory Transportation. California School Bus Fleet Update 13. In addition to home to school transportation, this department provides activity busses and sports busses for a variety of athletic events and education enrichment programs. Though subject to some inconsistencies, these data represent the only available source of statewide expenditure information.) Here you will be able to sign up, renew, or update your membership, register for upcoming events and receive important information in regards to California's School Pupil Transportation Industry. Pupil Transportation - Categorical Programs (CA Dept of Education) When the Legislature adopted the LCFF, it addressed numerous historical anomalies and inequities in school funding. Senator Nancy Skinner has introduced SB 88. Students with disabilities will continue to be provided home to school transportation services, when specified in their IEP, in accordance with the current process. 2023 EdSource. To assist the Legislatures deliberations, we have identified three options for funding pupil transportation moving forward. The opinions in this commentary are those of the authors. HTST Program Widely Recognized as Problematic. K-12 Education K-12 Proposition 98 Funding Increases Nearly 19 Percent. Directs LAO to review HTST program and make recommendations to address historical inequities. Our buses travel over 38,000 miles annually and transport an average of 226 students daily. In this example, a district with a budget of $100 million spending more than $8 million (8 percent of the budget) on transportation would have extraordinary costs. California currently ranks last in the nation in the number of students bused per capita with only 1 in 10 students taking a bus to school due to severe, persistent underfunding of transportation programs. In Recent Years, State Has Appropriated About $500 Million Annually for HTST Program. Through the districts statement, many coworkers, board members and staff expressed their gratitude toward Conley and their excitement that she received a well-deserved honor. The Board of Education approved the plan on March 28, 2023. The California Highway Patrol shall investigate all schoolbus accidents. Under the extraordinary cost model, the state would phase out HTST allocations for the majority of districtsas described under Option 1while maintaining a small amount of funding for districts with exceptionally high transportation costs. (That districts with high ridership rates tend to be small helps explain how statewide average ridership remains relatively low.). The Legislature convened the 2023-24 legislative session on January 4, 2022, introducing a total of 40 new elected officials to the Assembly and Senate. Review of School Transportation in California Only a few charter schools operate transportation programs and those programs serve an even smaller number of students. Three Options for Addressing Transportation Moving Forward. About One in Eight California Students Ride the Bus to School. Districts primarily covered the remaining costs with general purpose funds. LAO 2007 Budget Analysis: Home-to-School Transportation Widely Recognized Problems With HTST Program, Improving the States Approach to Funding Transportation, Option 1: Fund Transportation Within LCFF, Option 2: Fund Extraordinary Transportation Costs, Option 3: Fund Share of All Transportation Costs, 925LStreet, Suite 1000, Sacramento, CA 95814. Without guaranteed full funding every year, unfunded or underfunded mandates offer the false promise of solving problems when, in actuality, they pull money from other critical purposes, including vital mental health services and programs to address lost learning opportunities. Fund Only Extraordinary Costs. Districts with very high perrider costs generally transport only students with disabilities.). Combined, the drivers have 61 years of experience driving schoolchildren: Thirty-six year veteran driver Tamara Conley of Los Angeles Unified School District, representing Southern California, and 25-year veteran Robert Sorber of Miller Creek School District in San Rafael, California, for the states northern region. February 2023 . 1301 North A St | Lompoc, CA 93436 Phone: 805 742 3300 | Fax: 805 735 8452 . Under this approach, the state would develop a set of allowable transportation expenditures and cover a set percentage of those expenditures in every district. As described earlier, current HTST allocations vary across districts but cover an average of 35 percent of transportation expenditures statewide. . As detailed in Figure 6, the states approach to funding HTST has undergone several changes since the program was established in 1947. Welcome to the California Association of School Transportation Officials "CASTO" webpage. Because HTST allocations were locked in during the early 1980s, they fail to reflect districts current characteristics or level of transportation services. The LAO is located at 925LStreet, Suite 1000, Sacramento, CA 95814. In addition, at least 20 school districts (serving more than 26,000 students) reported some transportation expenditures in 201112 but received no HTST funding. Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools, provide instruction, and provide home-to-school transportation to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Please review it thoroughly, as it contains important dates and information for the upcoming academic year. The Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) is a nonpartisan office which provides fiscal and policy information and advice to the Legislature. California School Bus Fleet Update 13. In discussions with senior staff from the Department of Finance, it was determined that the program to provide $1.5 billion for electric school bus replacement would remain uncut. The state also discontinued the collection of detailed expenditure and ridership data from districts. Budget/Policy Analysis February 21, 2007 Home-to-School Transportation. J-141-T Report of Transfer of Home-to-School Transportation Services (XLS; Posted 31-Jul-2012) Due August 10, 2012. . Majority of Expenditures Covered With Local Unrestricted Funds. (Over time, these historical advantages would dissipate as expenditures rise and those districts do not receive additional funding increases from the state.). The costs associated with adopting a share of cost formula would depend upon the level at which the state sets its reimbursement rate. The HTST program is a glaring exception to this nearly comprehensive reform effort. Recognizing the need for additional reform, the Legislature asked our office to assess and make recommendations for improving the states approach to funding school transportation. In a related action, the administration proposes to reduce the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee by a like amount. State Establishes New HTST Spending Requirement for Students With Severe Disabilities. Does transportation differ notably from other educational services such that it merits a separate stream of funding? I wish you all a memorable summer break filled with rest, relaxation, and cherished moments. 11301 et seq. Specifically, about 70 districts, or about 8 percent of districts, spend more than 8 percent of their budget on transportation. State law requires the District to have a Transportation Safety Plan. And even for these students, existing state funding is hardly sufficient to pay for a busing program. She is the first district employee whom some of our children see when they go to school and the last when they are dropped off. Under this option, the state would need to define allowable transportation costs. Bus Schedules - Lompoc Unified School District / Home Providing additional funding to the few districts that face extraordinary transportation costs would help ensure that their unique conditions do not result in inferior instructional programs compared to districts with ordinary transportation needs. One significant factor is the share of students that has severe disabilities. 1113 . In the remainder of this section, we describe each of the three options in more detail, provide the policy rationale behind why the Legislature might consider adopting it, and discuss associated costs and transition issues. This Google translation feature provided on the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) website is for informational purposes only. Nonetheless, in cases for which charter school data are available, we also have included them in our numbers. Calculations to Determine 2022-23 P-2 (added 19-Jun-2023) . (The district total includes 38 districts that receive no direct funding from the state but participate in one of several statefunded Joint Powers Authorities [JPAs]consortia of districts organized to provide pupil transportation. Transportation Services Plan - Garden Grove Unified School District PDF CDE - California Association of School Transportation Officials - Home The HTST funding allocations are particularly irrational for districts that have experienced notable demographic shifts over the past 30 years with no corresponding funding adjustment. The first condition notably limits the degree to which districts apply fees. Home-to-school transportation benefits both students and our local communities. Widespread school busing would increase attendance, making it easier for districts to support students academic success and mental health, and fully covering transportation costs would free up more funding for programs such as crucial mental health supports. The federal government allows districts to use some federal grants to defray costs associated with providing transportation pursuant to federal requirements. Similar to the multiyear approach the state currently is using to phase in the LCFF, the state could phase out HTST allocations over several years by gradually counting those allocations toward each districts LCFF funding allocationthat is, scoring the funds towards closing the gap to the districts LCFF target funding level. Each option varies in how many districts it would benefit, how much it would cost the state, and how many spending requirements would be associated. Privacy Policy In general, the first two options gradually would free up state funding that the Legislature could direct for other educational purposes, while the third option likely would require additional state spending in the low hundreds of millions per year. The draft Transportation plan is an outline of our services. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, students are 70 times more likely to get to school safely if they take a bus instead of traveling by car. As described earlier, transportation expenditures vary notably across districts. Nationally, available data suggest up to 50 percent of students ride the bus to school. First, the state would need to increase funding for all districts currently receiving less than the states new reimbursement level. As shown in Figure 3, over the past several decades school bus ridership has been declining. PDF Home to School Transportation Plan Specifically, this approach would (1) allow funding allocations to be updated annually, and (2) provide a mechanism for previously excluded LEAs to receive funding. The California Department of Education has created a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) website that will assist in the clarification of inquiries the department has received from the industry. Because pupil transportation service levels and spending vary due to such a wide variety of local factors, establishing a specific service requirement for this program is difficult. Instead, districts would pay for any transportation costs they face using their LCFF allocations. Please note: There is NO change to our current transportation plan, this simply documents that plan and the board will officially adopt it in March. The maintenance of the HTST program is a glaring exception to this nearly comprehensive reform effort. The states HTST program covered 35 percent ($491 million) of these statewide costs. Moreover, beginning in 201415 all districts must set annual goals around student attendance and student outcomes as part of new local accountability plans. Reimburses transportation costs on a sliding scale, covering between 50percent and 90percent of costs beyond certain spending thresholds. The state allows districts to charge fees to help cover some transportation costs under certain conditions. their students but are not eligible to receive HometoSchool program California State Auditor Report 2008-406 151 February 2008. funds for regular education transportation, special education transportation, or both. In 201314, the Legislature undertook a major restructuring of school finance but retained the states HometoSchool Transportation (HTST) categorical program. Districts Spend $1.4 Billion on Transportation. Transportation would go from 1.8 billion to 18 billion. In addition, there is evidence that regional cost variations may somewhat offset each other in many cases, further undermining the need for associated funding adjustments. Some districts also provide transportation for students to attend schools located outside of their neighborhoods (such as magnet schools) and because of strong parental preferences. LCFF Contains Incentives to Maximize Student Attendance. PDF Home-To-School Transportation Program - California Based on a comprehensive assessment of funding for home-to-school transportation conducted by the Legislative Analyst's Office in 2014, 1 Despite all these benefits, California provides home-to-school transportation for fewer students per capita than any other state in the nation. . It provides reimbursement funding for school districts. Conley has had a perfect attendance record for the past 15 years. Plan de Trasporte Casa a Escuela. Of direct district services, nearly threefourths of expenditures are for employee compensation, including compensation for districts bus drivers, dispatchers, and mechanics. Current laws require that Education allocate HometoSchool program funds to each school district based on the lesser of its prior year's allocation or approved cost of providing transportation services, increased by the amount specified in the budget act. Funding Allocations Are Outdated and Irrational. Click here for EdSource's Comments Policy. The schools in CA are massively underfunded. In 201112, districts reported using about $25 million in federal funds for this purpose, sufficient to cover slightly less than 2 percent of expenditures statewide. Even for college students, young drivers would prefer not to drive if buses are available for each college or university with suitable multiple stops. Requires districts to split HTST allocation into two pots, one for special education transportation (students with severe disabilities) and one for all other students, each with separate spending requirements. ByMerari Acevedo-Vigo- School Transportation News. The 201314 budget package initiated a significant restructuring of state funding for schools. Home - Transportation - Hemet Unified School District About 275 districts (just over onequarter of the states roughly 950 districts) transport fewer than 10 percent of their students, whereas about 100 districts transport more than half of their students. Welcome to the California Association of School Transportation Officials "CASTO" webpage. Maintaining a small local share, however, would help encourage districts to run programs efficiently.) Figure 4 displays the major categories of district transportation expenditures. . Provides additional funding for districts with lower property tax values. I wish this come true. To help mitigate this transition, the change could be implemented gradually and in a way that ensures no district receives less funding than it receives today. Districts funding levels have been locked in at the amounts they received in the early 1980s. Home-to-School Transportation Reimbursement funding information to assist school districts, transportation agencies, and school transportation operators in providing the safest and most efficient transportation services for their passengers and customers. Other significant expenditures include fuel (10 percent) and capital outlay for school bus purchases and other large equipment (7 percent). The California Highway Patrol (CHP) and state education officials recently named the two school bus drivers of the year. This report lays out three options the Legislature could pursue in reforming its approach to funding pupil transportation. Amid inflation, rising operating costs and declining enrollment, schools, especially those in smaller, rural districts, are financially strained. Treatment of HTST Program Glaring Exception to Reform Effort. From the Office of School Transportation By staying informed and prepared, we can start the next school year on a solid footing and continue our mission to provide safe and reliable transportation services. https://abc7.com/school-bus-fire-coachella-valley-driver-hero/13072378/. The final revenue source supporting pupil transportation is fees, which in 201112 generated $17 million and covered just over 1 percent of expenditures statewide. The range displayed in Figure 2 illustrates that districts differ in their decisions about what level of transportation service to offer. (2) At least once in each school year, all pupils in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, who receive home-to-school transportation shall receive safety instruction that includes, but is not limited to, proper loading and unloading procedures, including escorting by the driver, how to safely cross the street, highway, or . Home-to-School Transportation Reimbursement - California Department of Significant Local Match Critical to New Approach. To get more reports like this one, click here to sign up for EdSources no-cost daily email on latest developments in education. I am truly honored to serve as your president, and I look forward to continuing our journey together as we navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. As of this quarters meeting of the State Board of Directors, we are still awaiting the publication of trailer bill language details to accompany the fiscal appropriations details. LUSD Board Of Education approved March 9, 2023 (Complies with Ed. Instructor Resources The proposal addresses the reimbursement canyon by compensating schools for 100% of reimbursable busing costs, including training, hiring and retaining bus drivers and maintenance staff, buses, storage and other infrastructure. As a result, funding allocations now vary across similar districts for no apparent reason. specify that eligible LEA pupil transportation allowances will be "equal to 60% of home-to-school transportation expenditures reported by the school district or county superintendent . Report Reviews States Approach to Funding School Transportation. Some files on this web site may require Adobe Acrobat Reader - download free. Home To School Transportation Plan Your Input is Requested! Transportation - Learning Support (CA Dept of Education) The amount districts spend on each student they actually transport also varies across the state. Logging in as the above user will re-enable all open tabs and allow you to continue editing. Over Time, Approach Would Free Up Funding for Other Educational Purposes. It is the mission of the Monroe Elementary School District to ensure a safe and challenging learning environment in which highly qualified educators, with parent and community support, focus on students mastery of academic skills necessary for continued educational growth. Sometimes Similar Districts Make Different Decisions About Transportation Services.

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