Funding for Pupil Transportation

Abstract

School districts spend approximately $17 billion annually on pupil transportation. More than half of all students in the United States are eligible for transportation at public expense. Despite this major financial investment and the large number of daily student trips, relatively little scholarly material is written on funding for pupil transportation. This article provides research background on pupil transportation funding, establishes a comprehensive framework of analysis for evaluating methods of state funding, and presents case studies of six states to highlight institutional differences. The key questions about state pupil transportation policy are (a) whether pupil transportation is mandated by the state, (b) what the eligibility requirements are for state aid, and (c) what formula is used for reimbursement. Funding for pupil transportation varies greatly among states, with differences that include student eligibility for transportation, funding formulas, and state aid as a percentage of transportation costs. The primary method of pupil transportation funding consists of state reimbursement for a portion of a school district's expenditures. The remaining costs must then be covered by local funding sources. Unlike some other areas of school finance, pupil transportation programs receive little funding from the federal government. The research also identifies safety, school siting, and walking to school as areas in which pupil transportation policies have important impacts.

Tired of Commuting? Relationships among Journeys to School, Sleep, and Exercise among American Teenagers

“…In fact, federal rules place substantial restrictions on the ability of public transit operators to offer efficient service to public schools when such service might be perceived as competing with privately operated school bus service (Vincent et al 2014). The longer durations of school bus trips can be explained in part by state funding policies that limit eligibility for school bus service to students who live beyond a certain distance (often two miles) from their school (McDonald and Howlett 2007). Thus, in much of the country, many students may live too far from their schools to walk, but not far enough to qualify for school bus service.…”

Why Parents Drive Children to School: Implications for Safe Routes to School Programs

“…Before public schools could consolidate they often had to make arrangements to transport students who would live very far from their new schools (Smith, 1972). Over time, this has evolved into statutes in a majority of states that require school districts to provide transport to students living more than 1 or 2 miles from their schools (McDonald & Howlett, 2007).…”

Who Takes the School Bus? The Roles of Location, Race, and Parents in Choosing Travel-to-School Mode in Georgia

“…As with transportation, the federal government largely relegates education policy matters to the states; many states further relegate most decisions to the school district level. There are three general models by which states set school transportation policy and funding: (1) the state reimburses local school districts for transportation they provide to students; (2) the state mandates that districts provide transportation to their students (or to some subset of students based on distance to school); and (3) the state allows districts to charge families for the use of transportation services ( 31 ).…”

“…There are many different combinations and mutations of these models. For example, as McDonald and Howlett point out in case studies, Alabama, New York (except in major cities), Ohio, and Idaho all require school transportation for their students, yet each state reimburses its districts differently ( 31 ). Alabama uses a linear density formula; Ohio uses a multivariate equation; and New York uses an “approved costs” model.…”