Pursuant to the 2023-2024 Appropriations Act, the maximum allowable per-student expenditure for nonpublic school transportation for the 2023-2024 school year is $1,165, or a daily rate of $6.47 ($1,165 divided by 180), according to an advisory from the New Jersey Department of Education.
The daily rate applies when the student’s application is received after the start of school or when the student withdraws from the nonpublic school before the close of the school year.
Renewed contracts and bid contracts awarded prior to July 1, 2023, are binding and cannot be increased because of the new maximum. Bid contracts that were not previously awarded because they exceeded $1,022 per pupil may be awarded if they were bid within $1,165 per pupil. Likewise, contracts that were not renewed because of the $1,022 per-pupil limit may be renewed if the growth is within the Consumer Price Index (5.86%) and does not exceed $1,165 per pupil. If transportation cannot be provided, parents are entitled to $1,165 as aid-in-lieu of transportation.
Each resident district board of education that provides transportation to remote public-school students is required to provide transportation services to eligible nonpublic school students. In accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:27-2.3(b), the parents of each nonpublic school student and the nonpublic school administrator shall be notified by the district board of education as to the determination of each application for nonpublic school transportation by Aug. 1 of each year. Notification must be provided by this deadline to nonpublic school parents and administrators for each transportation application received by your district.
Questions can be directed via email to the NJODE.