What's happening
This bill makes transportation for universal pre-kindergarten students eligible for state aid in New York.
Why it matters
Expanding aid to pre-K transportation means school districts could offer more accessible universal pre-K, especially benefiting families who might otherwise struggle with getting young children to and from school.
By making these transportation costs eligible for state reimbursement, districts may be less financially hesitant to provide busing, potentially increasing enrollment and participation in pre-K programs.
This change creates greater equity among young students, as access to transportation is often a barrier for lower-income and rural families, helping to ensure that universal pre-K is truly universal in practice.
School districts will need to ensure fair and equal provision of transportation for all eligible pre-K students within their set mileage limits, potentially prompting reviews of current transportation policies and routes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Guarantee Pre-K Bus Service
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Guarantee Pre-K Bus Service
In Senate Committee · Education · Sponsor Robert Jackson
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5467
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 12, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to universal pre-kindergarten school bus transportation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph g of subdivision 1 of section 3635 of the education law, as added by chapter 244 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
g. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the trustees or board of education of any school district may, in its discretion, provide transportation for students attending a universal pre-kindergarten program in addition to transportation funded by such program or transportation for students attending another district sponsored or district-run pre-kindergarten program, within mileage limits established by the school district; if provided such transportation shall be offered equally to all children in like circumstances residing in the district. The cost of providing such transportation shall be a charge upon the district [and]; provided that for purposes of subdivision seven of section thirty-six hundred two of this [chapter] article, such pupils shall be considered [non] allowable pupils and the costs of their transportation shall [not] be aidable.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to the 2021--2022 school year and all school years commencing thereafter.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00988-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.