TRENTON, NJ – A new legislative measure in New Jersey aims to support homeless students by mandating state coverage of certain transportation costs. The bill specifies that the state is responsible for any transportation expenses exceeding the average per-pupil cost in the student’s district of residence.
Under existing regulations, the district where a homeless child is officially registered must fund transportation to and from school, even if the child temporarily resides in another district. This new bill extends state financial support to cover costs that surpass the district’s average transportation expenditure per student.
Additionally, current legislation allows students displaced by acts of terrorism or natural disasters to stay in their original school districts for up to two years, provided they remain homeless. The responsibility for transportation in such cases falls to the district of the parent or guardian’s last residence. The introduced bill further requires the state to shoulder any transportation costs exceeding the average in that district.
This initiative is designed to alleviate financial pressures on local districts and support the educational stability of students facing homelessness.