Student Transportation For Success Act AB 1572 Student Transportation For Success Act

Background Information/ Description Created By: Assemblymember Nora Campos, District 27, San Jose. Introduced: January 24, 2016 Assembly First Reading. Current Status: Held in Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Background Information/ Description 70% of children born into poverty will remain low- income as adults. Access to education has the ability to level the playing field for students from low socioeconomic families.

Background Information/ Description Transportation is the #1 barrier for Low SES kids to attend school. All schools receiving Title I Funds will be required to provide transportation for students who meet the requirements, to and from school on a daily basis.

Background Information/ Description QUALIFICATIONS The pupil resides more than one-half mile from the school. The neighborhood through which the pupil must travel to get to school is unsafe, which may include factors, including, but not limited to:

Background Information/ Description QUALIFICATIONS Stray dogs lack of sidewalks known gang activity presence of environmental problems and hazards required crossings of freeways or busy intersections, or other reasons documented by stakeholders

Background Information/ Description If a school district is not currently providing transportation to all pupils attending schools that receive Title I funding, a plan must be implemented: Accommodate the special rights of homeless youth. Developed in consultation with multiple stakeholders (teachers, transit authorities, parents, etc.) Must be free, dependable, and timely transportation

Pros of AB 1572 Free service provided to all students who attend Title 1 schools Provides access to education for students who live in impoverished areas Increases after school participation Increases student safety Creates positive health effects

Cons of AB 1572 This proposed legislation will become operative only if funding is provided by the annual Budget Act or another statute. The State will not reimburse any school district for the transportation of preschool or nursery school students.

Budget Impact on District More funding for school districts. It would open the possibility for any money already being used from the general funds to cover transportation of students, to be used elsewhere.

Budget Impact on District 2. Given that the bill would constitute a state- mandated local program, LEAs would be entitled to “reimbursement” for costs of complying with the bill. As a district, we would have to figure out how to pay for it starting in 17-18 with the understanding that we would eventually be given a reimbursement.

Budget Impact on District 3. “poverty and financial instability is the number one cause of truancy in the state” and “increase in school participation and graduation rates among children who were guaranteed transportation to and from school.” Truancy would decrease, ADA revenue would increase, leading to a surplus for the following school year.

Resources http://www.cdfca.org/policy/bill-watch/ab1572 http://www.cdfca.org/policy/bill- watch/ab1572/?referrer=https://www.google.com/#sthash. MyuBw3eN.dpuf Fact Sheet: http://www.cdfca.org/policy/assets/documents/ab-1572- fact-sheet.pdf