This bill establishes funding for transportation services specifically for preschool students in New Jersey. It mandates that the Commissioner of Education determine the Statewide average cost of providing these transportation services within 30 days of the bill's enactment. This cost will be used to develop a formula for preschool transportation aid, which must be submitted to the Legislature within 60 days. The formula is designed to ensure that each school district receives at least an amount equal to the average cost multiplied by the number of eligible preschool students in that district.

Additionally, the bill amends existing law to include the Statewide average cost of preschool transportation in the Educational Adequacy Report, which will be adjusted by the consumer price index (CPI) for the two school years following the report's applicability. The bill also clarifies that transportation aid calculations will only apply to students in grades kindergarten through 12, thereby excluding preschool students from the previous transportation aid calculations. This legislative change aims to enhance the accessibility of transportation services for preschool students across the state.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:7F-46, 18A:7F-57