This bill mandates that boards of education or contractors providing pupil transportation services must have at least one school bus aide for every 15 students with special needs on board. The aide-to-student ratio is required to be maintained at all times when transporting students with special needs, whether alone or alongside general education students.
Additionally, the bill defines a "student with special needs" as one who is classified as eligible for special education programs and services, explicitly excluding those classified solely due to a specific learning disability as defined by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The act is set to take effect immediately and will apply to the first full school year following its enactment.