State Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) and Rep. Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville) are circulating a bill draft for other legislators to sign on and support (see cosponsorship memo) relating to contracts with parents to transport students to private and (sometimes) public schools. The bill would require the contract must compensate the parent or guardian a total amount for all pupils residing in the household who attend the same school, rather than a per pupil amount.
This change will potentially save districts money when multiple children in the same household are being transported to the same school in the same vehicle.
WASB supports this bill based on our member-approved resolutions and encourages you to contact your state legislators to cosponsor the “Marklein/Novak LRB 2448” before the Sept 10 deadline.
WASB Resolution 2.33 (a) states:
Parent Transportation Contracts
The WASB supports allowing parent transportation contracts to be determined on a per residence basis with parents reimbursed for the farthest distance necessary to transport a student. (2007-7)
From the cosponsorship memo:
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires that, if a school board contracts with a parent or guardian to
transport a pupil to and from school, the contract must compensate the parent or
guardian a total amount for all pupils residing in the household who attend the same
school, rather than a per pupil amount.
Under current law, a school board is generally required to provide transportation
to a public or private school pupil residing in the school district two miles or more from
the pupil’s school. Currently, a school board may meet its transportation obligation using
a variety of methods, including by contract with the parent or guardian of the public or
private school pupil. Current law also provides that, if the cost of transporting a private
school pupil is more than 1.5 times a school district’s average cost per pupil for bus
transportation in the previous year (average cost), and the school district contracts with
the pupil’s parent or guardian to transport the pupil, the contract must provide for an
annual payment for each pupil of not less than the greater of the following amounts
(minimum contract amount): 1) $5 multiplied by the distance in miles between the pupil’s
residence and the pupil’s private school; and 2) the school district’s average cost.
Current law also provides that, if the school district is Milwaukee Public Schools, the
board of school directors of MPS may pay the minimum contract amount for all pupils
who reside in the same household and attend the same private school, rather than
paying the minimum contract amount for each pupil in the household.
The bill provides that, for a contract between a school board and a parent or
guardian to transport a pupil, the amount of compensation must be a single amount for
all pupils residing in the household who attend the same school, rather than a per pupil
amount. That requirement applies to transportation contracts for both public and private
school pupils, and the requirement applies to the minimum contract amount applicable
to the transportation of a private school pupil that costs more than 1.5 times a school
district’s average cost.
