This bill proposes an amendment to the transportation funding formula for public schools in West Virginia, specifically adjusting the calculations from being based on student enrollment to being based on the daily school bus mileage traveled. The aim is to provide greater financial assistance to larger counties that are required to offer transportation to all students. The bill outlines various percentages of transportation costs that counties will receive based on their density classification, as well as additional allowances for counties using alternative fuel sources for their school buses.

Key changes include the deletion of the previous standard for calculating aid in lieu of transportation, which was based on the state average amount per pupil, and its replacement with a new standard based on the daily school bus mileage traveled within each county. The bill also maintains provisions for funding related to the maintenance and operation of transportation services, insurance costs, and the replacement of buses, while allowing for some flexibility in the use of funds for facility repairs and improvements. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance the support for school transportation systems in larger counties by aligning funding more closely with actual transportation needs.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-9A-7