TRENTON, N.J. – A bill introduced in the New Jersey Senate seeks to create a three-year pilot program in Ocean County that would shift responsibility for nonpublic school transportation from local school districts to a countywide consortium of private schools.
Senate Bill 500, sponsored by Senator James W. Holzapfel of Monmouth and Ocean counties, would direct the Commissioner of Education to fund and oversee the initiative, allowing a consortium of nonpublic schools in Ocean County to assume the state-mandated task of transporting eligible students to and from their schools.
Under the proposal, the state would disburse directly to the county consortium an amount equal to the current aid in-lieu-of transportation rate—set at $1,000 per student—for each nonpublic school pupil entitled to busing. The consortium would then coordinate transportation services for those students. If the cost of busing exceeds the aid amount, parents or guardians would instead receive the $1,000 payment.
The proposal expands upon the existing consortium in Lakewood, the LTSA, which is active in Lakewood, Jackson, and Toms River.
As far as the newly proposed, expanded consortium, any funds left over after required transportation is provided could be used for courtesy busing within the county, or refunded to the Department of Education at the end of the school year. The consortium would also inherit the assets and liabilities of the prior Lakewood Township nonpublic school transportation program, a 2016 pilot that expires in 2019.
To ensure accountability, the bill requires annual independent audits and the creation of a five-member oversight committee appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders. Two years into the program, the Commissioner of Education would report to the Governor and Legislature with findings and recommendations on whether to expand the model statewide.
Holzapfel says the measure aims to streamline operations, reduce administrative burdens on school districts, and ensure consistent busing for thousands of nonpublic school students in Ocean County, where transportation has been a recurring challenge.
