For those who opted out can not afford the increased transportation costs according to NJ Law if you are eligible for the lunch program you can not be excluded from receiving transportation, The LSTA, BOE have not advertised or offered this to local students local advocates and askanim have thus far not publicized this. If you can not afford it, the school district can not deny you transportation you should apply regardless and have tell the LSTA to pick up your children for more info send email to the state DOE: student.trans@doe.nj.gov or call (609) 376-9064
From NJ Dept. of education Website:
Q. Is it a district's responsibility to provide transportation for students who live less than remote from school when hazardous road conditions exist?
A. Boards of education are not required by law to provide busing for students who live less than remote from school even for safety reasons. However, boards are permitted, at their own discretion and expense, to provide transportation for students who reside less than remote from school and may charge the student's parents or legal guardians for this service. Students who are unable to pay because of financial hardship shall not be excluded from receiving services described under this section. The criteria used to determine financial hardship shall be the same as the Statewide income eligibility standards established for free and reduced-price meals under the State school lunch program
Basically stating that non mandated students who don't get busing but qualify for hazardous busing and cant afford to pay their share can not be denied transportation. The LSTA is only a provider for the BOE the responsibility is still on the township and school district to provide safe passage to school. Pushing parents to either pay up or opt out should not disqualify them from transportation if there is no safe way to walk to school.
Would you let your child walk to school down Cedarbridge avenue, Cross street, County line, Rt 88 or any other hazardous road with no sidewalks? The answer is that even if you would let, the schools themselves don't allow kids to walk realizing the danger it is for their safety and the school District policy prohibits students from crossing roads deemed to be hazardous. (See below list of 30 streets in Lakewood designated as hazardous roadways.) It is not clear if Lakewood township is providing any hazardous busing, meaning that if parents opt out of the LSTA their kids can be forced to walk to school on dangerous roads.
Currently Lakewood parents of non mandated students who live less than 2 miles from school must pay $260 to the LSTA for transportation to school. In New Jersey if you are a private school student and don't qualify for mandated busing because you live less than 2 miles away you but it is not safe to walk you still have to pay for busing. There is a bill in committee Bill S2975. Transportation for Hazardous Walking Routes Act; requires school districts to provide busing for students required to walk to school along hazardous routes
NJ Law says Whenever a district board of education agrees to provide nonmandated transportation to and from school for reasons of hazard, the district board of education shall adopt a hazardous busing policy in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:39-1.5. regarding the transportation of students who must walk to and from school along hazardous routes.
List of streets designated hazardous by Lakewood township and BOE
1. Fourteenth Street (Across Madison)
2. Pine Street
3. Forest Avenue
4. Route 70
5. New Hampshire Avenue
6. Central Avenue
7. Cedarbridge Avenue
8. Kennedy Boulevard (East & West to Teaberry)
9. Route #9 (Madison Avenue & River Avenue)
10. Ridge Avenue (Brook Road over Lanes Mills)
11. County Line Road (West to East including Lanes Mills)
12. Park Avenue (From 2nd Street to County Line Road) – Elementary School Students Only
13. Ocean Avenue/Route #88 (From Lane Mills Road to Route 9)
14. Miller Road
15. Joe Parker Road
16. Cross Street
17. Hope Chapel Road
18. Chestnut Street
19. Squankum Road
20. James Street
21. New Hampshire Avenue
22. Locust Street
23. Washington Avenue
24. Kennedy Boulevard (Between Twin Oaks)
25. Vine Street
26. Clifton Avenue
27. Oak Street
28. Hillside Street
29. Williams Street
Q. Is it a district's responsibility to provide transportation for students who live less than remote from school when hazardous road conditions exist?
A. Boards of education are not required by law to provide busing for students who live less than remote from school even for safety reasons. However, boards are permitted, at their own discretion and expense, to provide transportation for students who reside less than remote from school and may charge the student's parents or legal guardians for this service. Municipalities may also contract with boards of education for this service and charge the parents. This transportation service is called Subscription Busing.
f) Students who are unable to pay because of financial hardship shall not be excluded from receiving services described under this section. The criteria used to determine financial hardship shall be the same as the Statewide income eligibility standards established for free and reduced-price meals under the State school lunch program
So how do I get a refund? Can someone PLEASE do something about it??
ReplyDeleteNJ Department of Education
DeleteOffice of School Finance
PO Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500
Phone: (609) 376-9064 | Fax: (609) 292-6794
student.trans@doe.nj.gov
Why is Agudah of NJ silent about this. They don't fail to comment and make noise and publicity about the most mundane non relevant news but they have not said a thing about the busing fiasco
ReplyDeleteCause some powerfully guys r making $$$ from the lsta
Delete"Why is Agudah of NJ silent about this" Your obviously not very smart.
Deletehmm lets see if you could figure it out....
Gosh who would believe that there are still some sheep around
Agudah is busy getting security funding which is turning out to be like the Erate program. The mosdos don't know what to do with the money they already have enough cameras and tablets.
DeleteThe ones responsible are Mayor Coles and the Township Committee. They are elected officials who decided to pay all expenses for public school non mandated but not a penny to private school non mandated.
ReplyDeleteThey blame the county and state for Lakewood dangerous roadways and traffic problems. Meanwhile pedestrians get injured daily in car crashes.
They are responsible to provide and arrange funds towards hazardous busing.
While they say there's not enough money remember they gave out millions in tax abatements to wealthy million dollar businesses this year alone.
Vote the bums out
Even at 260 it's less than a dollar a day for transportation not gonna get anything cheaper stop whining
ReplyDeleteWhy do these people whine so much? Let them just opt out and stop bothering us. They can make their own arrangements.
DeleteCuz the people whining are poor they are not making 6 digit salaries off the taxpayers
DeleteThey don't have vacation homes ot Apts in Florida and Israel
You have out of touch askaanim and roshei mosdos who are wealthy and made money recently they could care less about ppl paying 250 per child to them this money is nothing they blow it on a meat board or on their nightly meal at the steakhouse.
They don't deserve to be in their positions if they can't feel the pain of others
Is it whining? If you're thinking twice before putting items in your cart at the grocery store, but you need to cough up the $ for bussing because your work schedule which sort-of pays the bills doesn't allow you time for driving daily?
DeleteJust pointing out that the Township paying for the bussing means the cost would be passed along to all of us. Not sure how that helps
ReplyDeleteFirst of all let them cut out all the corruption and there will be plenty of money
DeleteLet them not give themselves huge raises and instead pay for busing
Let them not give out tax abatements and use the money for transportation
Let them lobby the state and fight for lakewood
If the committeemen would not have given themselves free lifetime health insurance, there would have been more in the pot to help the residents.
DeleteDrake road is hazardous as well
ReplyDeletePlease also note the above list of hazardous streets are non crossable. Busses legally need to drop your child of on the proper side of the street.
ReplyDeleteMany of the bus companies ignore this list because it is more convenient to make the children cross.
If your child gets dropped of on one of these streets, make sure they are let off without needing to cross.
If you think you will win against LSTA or AS of Aguda NJ who are more than very good friend$, keep on dreaming.
ReplyDeleteActually you can dream about that after you finish dreaming about getting the $2500 AS was given to distribute for tuition.
Like the saying goes: You cant fight city hall.
I got my $2500 from aguda.
DeleteI did too
Deletenot me
DeleteEvery street in Lakewood is hazardous! Anyway I make 6 digits, so what? It’s peanuts, I still can’t make ends meet.
ReplyDeleteThe Agudah received 2.1 million in January from the township to distribute to residents towards tuition costs. Not everyone was lucky enough to get a check.
ReplyDeleteDid someone do an OPRA request on Agudah NJ tuition distribution? If yes please post it so everyone can see
DeleteThe whole 2 mile cut off thing makes no sense. A little child in kindergarten who lives 1.9 miles should walk to school??
ReplyDeleteAll children going to schools on Cross street who live under 2 miles are expected to walk on the dangerous roads?
The formula should factor in age and safe passage to school not only distance
Everyone should be chipping in for busing even the mandated ones who are getting $1000 should be נושא בעול and pay to defray costs from non mandated.
If you disagree with the rules, you're welcome to petition the legislature to change them.
DeleteIsn't that Agudahs job
DeleteHow is it possible that Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. is not on the list of dangerous streets?!
ReplyDeleteThe Lakewood media establishment is silent and instructed by the puppeteers to do so, oh they are to busy reporting all the little crimes in Manchester and Ocean County.
ReplyDeleteSick and sad
Aguda won't say a word about the discrimination against private school yeshiva kids in Lakewood because they got big money and free PR from the Township by giving out funds from the American rescue plan. They pumped themselves in all the papers websites and billboards even after the application deadline. They are compromised and can not act as a voice to fight for Lakewood residents.
ReplyDeleteWhy isn’t New Egypt Road on the hazardous list? How do we get it designated?
ReplyDeleteThis has to be brought to the attention of R Louie Scheiner he must be told about the plight of Lakewoods residents and youngeleit that are being bullied silenced and taken advantage of by the askanim and establishment. He BH got involved with school vouchers and he needs to get involved with the buses. The $1000 raise for kollel check is eaten alive by the taxes tuition and lsta fees.
ReplyDeletePlease if someone can notify him to get involved on behalf of Lakewoods struggling families.
Perhaps if the Kollel check didn't increase, rents would have remained cheaper.
ReplyDeleteIs there anyone to speak to about this? I'm opting out because I have 4 kids that are on non mandated bussing and I cant afford this raise in addition to the tuition raise.. but it will be very stressful and my kids can't walk to school because it is not safe. And the crossing guard by rt 9 and oak leaves befor 4 so they can't cross rt 9 safely
ReplyDeleteAs bad as it is and you are opting out keep in mind the pick ups and drop offs will take alot of time sitting in traffic and cost of gas. Even if you do opt out have no fear this is a scare tactic at the end of the day they will have to transport all the children.
DeleteUnfortunately there no one to talk to If you can reach Louie Sheiner he seems to be the only one that cares and could make things happen. A shame that the people who claim to represent Lakewood are trying to keep this quiet as it was snuck in. Not a word from Agudah the Lakewood Vaad the Mayor and other politicians maybe try Michael inzelbuch or the BOE can explain things they know how to break exclusive stories on the scoop
Why are the rosehi mosdos not up in arms about this to stick up for the parents. It should be their fight as well why didn't they tell lsta too late to pull such a move we will not push this on the parents.
ReplyDeleteNow how do I get Jackson to provide busing for me, I'm less than 2 miles from my kids yeshiva but it's down cross street which is hazardous to adults!
ReplyDeleteDrake is getting hundreds of more cars from the new development on cross with a entrance on drake and a simcha hall at the school by old Whitesville
ReplyDeleteI thought there was no entrance of Drake?
DeleteThis Post is so misleading - ONLY IF a district Decides to give courtesy busing/subscription busing to Hazardous than they can't charge exclude those eligible for free or reduced lunch. It seems that a district can give subscription busing to everyone (even those that don't live on hazardous routes) and the same rule would apply that the poor will be entitled to it w/o a fee. So as of now the district is not offering subscription busing to Hazardous or to all students so this post is just lots of hot air!!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.lakewoodpiners.org/cms/lib/NJ01001845/Centricity/Domain/4/Letter%20to%20Parents%20regarding%20Transportation%20July%202019%20English.pdf
DeleteJuly 22, 2019
Dear Parents/Guardians:
The Lakewood School District is pleased to share the following information:
Lakewood Public School students will continue to receive courtesy/hazardous busing
during the 2019-2020 school year. Courtesy/Hazardous busing will continue to be paid
for by the Township of Lakewood.
Lakewood Board of Education Transportation Policy 8600 states:
The Board will provide transportation to and from school for public school pupils less
than remote from their school in grades K - eight who live more than 2.0 miles from the
school they attend and in grades nine - twelve who live more than 2.5 miles from the
school they attend.
Lakewood Board of Education Hazardous Routes Policy:
The Board will approve all bus routes by September 15th of each school year. Those bus
routes for all non-remote pupils who must walk to and from school along hazardous
routes will be designated. The Board will consider, but shall not be limited to the criteria
outlined in N.J.S.A 18A:39-1.5 in determining “Hazardous Routes” as follows:
1. Population density;
2. Traffic volume;
3. Average vehicle velocity;
4. Existence or absence of sufficient sidewalk space;
5. Roads and highways that are winding or have blind curves;
6. Roads and highways with steep inclines and declines;
7. Drop-offs that are in close proximity to a sidewalk;
8. Bridges or overpasses that must be crossed to reach the school;
9. Train tracks or trestles that must be crossed to reach the school;
10. Busy roads or highways that must be crossed to reach the school.
A school district shall work in conjunction with municipal officials in determining
the criteria necessary for the designation of a hazardous route.
Lakewood Nonpublic School students, who received courtesy/hazardous busing
during the 2018-2019 school year, will receive busing in the 2019-2020 school year, as
long as a) a Vendor bids on the bus route b) the bid is below the $1,000 per student cost,
as mandated by law.
OH WOW!! So the Busing that the LSTA/Township is giving out is in fact Courtesy busing (at least that is what they are calling it!) and they are giving it out based on all the public students being in a hazardous route! (don't believe that is necessary (they can provide it to anyone if they'd like) but that is what their letter states) Than the rule is clear Subscription/Courtesy busing CAN NOT charge anyone who is eligible for the lunch program! Are they going to claim the private schools busing is not courtesy/subscription like the P.S.?
DeleteWhy is eligibility for hazardous busing dependent on school lunch program eligiblity? If the route is hazardous all children should be covered. Why squeeze the middle class who are struggling possibly more than those receiving many benefits.
ReplyDeleteA district can decide on their own to only offer hazardous busing for a fee or they can even decide to offer busing for all for a fee. Regardless what they offer, as long as they offer subscription busing, they cannot charge the children who are eligible for the lunch program!
DeletePlease also note the above list of hazardous streets are non crossable. Busses legally need to drop your child of on the proper side of the street.
ReplyDeleteMany of the bus companies ignore this list because it is more convenient to make the children cross.
If your child gets dropped of on one of these streets, make sure they are let off without needing to cross.
If you need help with the transportation call Avi $ at Agudah of NJ for help! LOL!!!!
ReplyDeleteIts not funny. Its sad
Deletelike they say: "follow the money"
Delete