S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2307
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 22, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Education
 
 AN ACT in relation to the transportation of students  in  the  Rochester
   city school district
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. a. Notwithstanding the provision of any law, rule, or regu-
 lation to the contrary, including subdivision 1 of section 3635  of  the
 education  law,  the city school district of the city of Rochester, upon
 approval of a vote by the board of education of a plan  which  describes
 fiscal  and educational outcomes and implementation strategy and notifi-
 cation to the commissioner of education by February 1, 2020,  may  enter
 into  a  transportation  pilot  program  for a period not to exceed five
 school years beginning with the 2020-2021 school year to provide  trans-
 portation  services for children attending grades kindergarten through 3
 in the 2020-2021 school year, and for  children  attending  kindergarten
 through  6  in  the  2021-2022 school year and subsequent years, and who
 live more than one-half mile and less than fifteen miles from the school
 which they legally attend  provided  such  transportation,  if  offered,
 shall  be offered equally to all children in like circumstances residing
 in the district.
   b. For the purposes of computing approved transportation expenses  for
 transportation aid for transportation provided under this pilot program,
 expenses  for transportation provided pursuant to this pilot program for
 children attending grades kindergarten through 3 in the 2020-2021 school
 year, and for children attending kindergarten through 6 in the 2021-2022
 school year and subsequent years, who live more than one-half  mile  and
 less  than fifteen miles from the school which they legally attend shall
 be included. Transportation expenses shall  be  reimbursed  pursuant  to
 subdivision  7  of  section  3602 of the education law during such pilot

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00958-01-9
              

 A. 2307                             2
 
 period in an amount not to exceed the 2019-2020 approved  transportation
 aid amount pursuant to such subdivision 7.
   c.  In  the event costs for providing transportation for children that
 would otherwise be aidable without this pilot program  increase  due  to
 enrollment  changes  or  other customary increases in cost as defined in
 regulation by the commissioner of education, the city school district of
 the city of Rochester may apply to the commissioner of education  for  a
 waiver  to  receive  additional  transportation  aid  in  excess  of the
 2019-2020  transportation  aid  amount  during  the  pilot  program  for
 services that would otherwise be allowable transportation expenses.
   d.  The  city school district of the city of Rochester shall provide a
 report to the commissioner of education on the results of the first four
 years of the pilot program, including data that describes the costs  and
 benefits of the program, by September 30, 2024.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.