A48 State Plans for Financing Pupil Transportation PAMPHLET NO. 99 Federal Security Agency U. S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION STATE PLANS FOR FINANCING PUPIL TRANSPORTATION By TIMON COVERT Specialist in School Finance, U. S. Office of Education IT INTRODUCTION T IS THE conviction of the American people that school facilities should be made available to all children. For a number of reasons, however, it is neither feasible nor satisfactory to attempt to maintain schools in the immediate vicinity or within walking distance of all children. Stating it another way, it frequently is more feasible and altogether more satisfactory to transport some children to a central school than it would be to operate a school within walking distance of every child. Pupil transportation then is simply an administrative device for making suitable schools accessible to children who reside beyond walking distance of them. The purpose of this report is to define the various situations wherein pupil transportation at public expense is provided in the different States and to explain the legal provisions for meeting the expense of this service. EXTENT OF THE SERVICE Although pupil transportation at public expense is provided for the general purpose of making education facilities available to children, its authorization is limited by law to fairly well-defined situations. There are many ways of determining where or in what situations it may or shall be provided. These are revealed in the laws of the several States. Dr. Sutton 1 listed the following conditions relating to legal 1 1 Sutton, D. H. Statutory provisions and judicial interpretations affecting pupil tuition and transportation in the various States, 1932. In State support for public education. Washington, D. C., American Council on Education, 1933. p. 410. authorizations for pupil transportation in the order of their frequency of occurrence in State laws. His listing follows: 1. Pupils residing in consolidated school districts 2. Lack of educational facilities in the district of residence 3. Pupils of compulsory school age residing more than a fixed number of miles from school 4. Educational interest of the pupils 5. Excessive distance from school 6. Small number of pupils residing in the district 7. Saving of expense and increased educational opportunity 8. Regarded as necessary by school officials or qualified voters 9. Pupils residing in rural territory While the extent or adequacy of the service varies greatly among the States, it is nevertheless provided to some extent in every one of them. Legislation permitting or requiring school district taxes for this service has been enacted from time to time over a long period of years. Also, in a number of States, for a considerable period of time, State aid has been provided especially for pupil transportation. Recently, there is a growing conviction among State lawmakers that the necessary expense of transporting pupils to and from school should be included in computing the cost of the school program, for the guaranty or equalization of which State funds are provided. At the present time State funds are provided specifically for pupil transportation, or indirectly by including this service as an item of expense in the education program, the cost of which is to be equalized by the State in at least 36 of the 48 States. The plans which have been developed in the different States for paying for this service vary greatly. In some States, all or a large part of the expense is met with the proceeds of taxes levied in local school districts; in others, the State Government assumes a considerable part or the major share of the expense. This report deals with these various provisions. PROCEDURE Data for this report were obtained chiefly from school laws of the 48 States, from State departments of education, and from special brochures on the subject, most of which are publications of State Government agencies. A questionnaire, one part of which dealt with "Financing Pupil Transportation," was sent to each State department of education. The questions on this part of the questionnaire were designed for two specific purposes: To collect information on State plans for financing pupil transportation and to formulate "criteria for evaluating State programs for financing pupil transportation." ! In order to collect the information desired, the following requests vere made: 1. Describe briefly each method (including formula) used in determining State transportation aid in 1942-43 or, if not calculated separately, describe each provision for taking into consideration the transportation factor either in the calculation or in the use of general State aid. . . . Be sure to give all such formulas used. 2. For each method or formula described in 1 attach a typical computation of aid allotted under such provision or formula. 3. If records show the information, give the total amount of funds distributed in 1942-43 under each of the formulas or methods described in 1 above. 4. If county funds were distributed to local school units for 1942-43 for pupil transportation, describe the plans for allocating these funds. . . . If information is available, give the total amount of funds distributed under each plan. The part of the questionnaire regarding criteria for evaluation consisted of 11 questions which seemed to the committee to set forth the important considerations for evaluating a State's plan for financing pupil transportation. Recipients of the questionnaire were asked to add to or to criticize the criteria listed, but were not asked to apply the 11 criteria to their own State plans. The 11 criteria were as follows: 1. Does the plan of financing pupil transportation provide sufficient funds to enable the schools to operate safe, economical, and efficient systems of transportation for all pupils who should be transported? 2. Does the plan of financing pupil transportation tend to compensate for the additional burden that falls upon school districts which must provide pupil transportation? 3. Does the plan of financing pupil transportation take into account the provision of funds for capital outlays such as the purchase of busses and bus equipment and the erection of bus shops? 4. Does the plan of financing pupil transportation provide for extending the payment for busses and bus shops beyond the current year? 5. Does the plan of financing pupil transportation promote safety, efficiency, and economy in the operation of the transportation system? For example, does it tend to stimulate the attainment of desirable standards in school bus equipment and operation and of desirable qualifications in personnel? 6. Does the plan of financing pupil transportation permit ready flexibility in making adjustments in the transportation program, such as in case of consolidation, fires, etc.? 7. Does the plan of financing pupil transportation require adequate accounting for pupil transportation? 8. Does the method of computing aid for pupil transportation provide for consideration of factors beyond the control of the local unit, such as density of transportation population, road conditions, geographical barriers, etc.? |