SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 780

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 7, 1996

      The Senate Education Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 780.

      As amended, this bill requires the Commissioner of Education to identify and publish a list of local boards of education, educational services commissions, and any other established agencies providing cooperative transportation services. Any school district responsible for the transportation of pupils to and from a school, other than a local district school, would utilize one of the agencies identified by the commissioner for the transportation of the pupils, except when the local district can provide transportation at a lower cost than those agencies.

      Under the bill, any school district which has in the prior year provided payments in lieu of transportation for any nonpublic school pupil would attempt to provide transportation through an agency identified by the commissioner prior to determining to pay aid in lieu of transportation. If the costs to provide transportation by the agency identified by the commissioner are less than the in-lieu-of payments, the agency would provide transportation.

      The county superintendents are required to assist local boards of education and the chief school administrators of nonpublic schools in coordinating the calendars and schedules of the public and nonpublic schools to facilitate the coordination of pupil transportation in a county.

      An amendment was adopted which directs the county superintendents to assist the chief school administrators of the nonpublic schools in coordinating the calendars and schedules of the public and nonpublic schools.