Colleagues, 

Current Pennsylvania law requires public schools to provide transportation for students who attend nonpublic schools or charter schools within ten miles, provided the district also transports its own students. School districts that do not offer transportation to their own students are exempt from this requirement.

My bill introduces the idea that public schools should be required to provide transportation for students who attend nonpublic schools even if they do not provide it to their own students.

In practice, the exemption under current law falls hardest on parents of nonpublic school students who live in compact, walkable towns and cities, where school districts often skip busing altogether, and many parents have limited or no access to a car. This can make it extremely difficult for nonpublic students to get to school if the nonpublic school is farther than the public school. This may cause some students to have to stay in public school even if it is not the right fit for them.

My legislation would fix this issue because it would provide nonpublic school students across all grades with school transportation services.

This bill is about ensuring a family’s choice of school isn’t dictated by their school district’s transportation policy or their access to a car. 

I hope you will join me in supporting this legislation.