This bill amends the Public School Code of 1949 to clarify and expand the provisions regarding the transportation of pupils in Pennsylvania. It allows school boards to provide free transportation for resident pupils to and from non-profit schools within the district or up to ten miles outside the district. Additionally, it mandates that if transportation is provided for public school pupils, identical provisions must be made for those attending nonpublic schools. The bill also permits school boards to allocate funds for urban common carrier mass transportation to assist with operational costs, and it requires the State Board of Education to establish regulations governing pupil transportation.
A significant addition to the law is the prohibition against school boards authorizing transportation for pupils enrolled in schools located outside the boundaries of Pennsylvania. This new clause aims to ensure that transportation services are limited to within the state, thereby clarifying the jurisdiction of school boards in managing pupil transportation. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.