School Funding Basics:Regional Transportation
MURSD Regional School CommitteeJanuary 9, 2012
Bus Transportation in the MURSD
Why? MGL Chapter 71, Section 7A: School districts must provide two-way transportation for all students living over one and one-half miles from their school. There is no provision for funding.
But…Section 16C provides for reimbursement to regional school districts: “the commonwealth shall reimburse such district to the full extent of the amounts expended for such transportation”
Under this provision, regional school districts may not charge bus fees to families
Transportation in the MURSD by the Numbers In FY10, the MURSD transported 2,866
students- but 219 (8%) were non-reimbursable…. As they lived with 1 ½ miles of their schools
Total cost of transportation to the district in FY10 :
$1,209,600 ($1,117,187 is reimbursable: the 92%)
The state established a 57.59% reimbursement rate for FY11 based upon the FY10 figures- thus…
0.5759 X $1,117,187 = $643,442 received from the state for transportation
State Reimbursement for Regional Schools Transportation ,
FY04-12
FY04
FY05
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
FY12
FY13
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
100.00%
47.52%
69.03%
78.08%
90.76%89.90%
85.74%
57.79% 57.59% 57.59%57.00%
Reimb. R...
N.B.: The FY13 rate is a prediction only
Some Important Caveats
Net School Spending (Chapter 70 Aid + Required Local Contribution) excludes transportation expenditures per MGL Chapter 70, Section 2
• The MURSD Regional Agreement, Section V- Transportation states: “School transportation shall be provided by the regional school district and cost thereof shall be apportioned to the member towns as an operating expense.”
What if?
Using FY11 figures- the amount of cost associated with transporting all in-district students:
Net School Spending =
$1,178,174 ÷ 2,613 students = $451 per student
For More Info on School Budget Basics
Go to the MURSD Superintendent’s Blog: www.mursd.blogspot.com
