Should Public School Districts Pay for Private School Busing?
The state requires public school districts to pay the transportation costs for students attending private and parochial schools.
Photos
New Jersey public school districts have been paying to bus parochial and private school students for years.
A report in The Asbury Park Press puts the annual cost at $77 million a year for about 90,000 students of religious and other private schools, money that comes out of local budgets funded by property taxes.
According to the paper, districts are required "to spend up to $884 on transportation for each student attending a private school, be it on a school bus or a parent driving the child to class." The state is one of only a handful that pay for private-school busing, with 34 banning all public funding for private schooling.
Patch wants to know what you think. Respond to our poll and offer your thoughts in the comment section below.
For a closer look at South Orange - Maplewood's transportation costs, click here.
Gerald Coopersmith
2:29 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
If the parents who send children to private & parochial school pay local school taxes, then local districts paying to bus those children are o.k.
Wale
6:55 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
well said, Gerald; especially since those children are not using the local school amenities/resources hence an indirect cost saving.
Morrisa da Silva
2:34 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
What's with all these polls? I would rather see a story that looks at the issues surrounding the State's policy. This seems like a cheap way to take up real estate. There is a limit to the usefulness of gathering public opinion - especially on a subject that is not very widely understood. How about some real journalism.
Marcia Worth
2:42 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Hi Morrisa, Thank you for this. There's a link in the story to a look at the local costs and issues.
Morrisa da Silva
2:37 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Then what about the childless and senior citizens that pay taxes - what costs should we pick up for them? Taxes for public education are for the public good whether you have children in the schools or not. If parents choose to send students to private schools it should be on their dime alone.
Morrisa da Silva
4:16 pm on Monday, May 14, 2012
Thanks Marcia!