MADISON - The Department of Public Instruction distributed $7.5 million in aid to districts with above-average student transportation costs last month through the High Cost Transportation Aid program.
Districts were eligible for high cost transportation aid if their transportation costs exceed 150 percent of the statewide average cost per member, which was $418.87 per student. Additionally, student membership within the district must have been 50 students or fewer per square mile. Aid is based on audited information from the previous fiscal year (2014-15) and was paid June 20.
High Cost Transportation Aid is an important state support to public school districts, allowing them to focus resources on student learning. However, this aid program is not yet fully funded, meaning districts get less aid than they are eligible to receive, putting pressure on academic programming for students in small, rural school districts.
The High Cost Transportation Aid program was approved in the 2013-15 budget as a way to reduce disproportionately high transportation expenses in some, mostly rural, school districts. The 2015-17 state budget increased the aid allocation from $5 million to $7.5 million and added a sparsity factor to target the aid to districts experiencing the greatest need for state support.
This year, 128 districts will receive funding through the High Cost Transportation Aid program. Districts meeting the statutory criteria submitted $12.4 million in eligible costs resulting in the $7.5 million allocation being prorated at 60.4 percent. Of the districts receiving this categorical aid, 24 districts received more than $100,000; 30 received between $50,000 and $100,000; 63 received between $5,000 and $50,000; and 11 received less than $5,000.
School districts in Green and Lafayette counties that received aid were:
• Argyle, $8,698.66
• Black Hawk, $47,733.63
• New Glarus, $49,910.59
• Pecatonica Area, $29,478.70
Districts were eligible for high cost transportation aid if their transportation costs exceed 150 percent of the statewide average cost per member, which was $418.87 per student. Additionally, student membership within the district must have been 50 students or fewer per square mile. Aid is based on audited information from the previous fiscal year (2014-15) and was paid June 20.
High Cost Transportation Aid is an important state support to public school districts, allowing them to focus resources on student learning. However, this aid program is not yet fully funded, meaning districts get less aid than they are eligible to receive, putting pressure on academic programming for students in small, rural school districts.
The High Cost Transportation Aid program was approved in the 2013-15 budget as a way to reduce disproportionately high transportation expenses in some, mostly rural, school districts. The 2015-17 state budget increased the aid allocation from $5 million to $7.5 million and added a sparsity factor to target the aid to districts experiencing the greatest need for state support.
This year, 128 districts will receive funding through the High Cost Transportation Aid program. Districts meeting the statutory criteria submitted $12.4 million in eligible costs resulting in the $7.5 million allocation being prorated at 60.4 percent. Of the districts receiving this categorical aid, 24 districts received more than $100,000; 30 received between $50,000 and $100,000; 63 received between $5,000 and $50,000; and 11 received less than $5,000.
School districts in Green and Lafayette counties that received aid were:
• Argyle, $8,698.66
• Black Hawk, $47,733.63
• New Glarus, $49,910.59
• Pecatonica Area, $29,478.70