More Courtesy Students in Lakewood should get Free Busing with School Lunch Expansion

 NJ Gov Murphy signed a bill expanding the eligibility for School lunch with raising the income limits allowing  more families qualify.

Gov Murphy also signed a bill allowing bus consorriums for non mandated students with hazordous  routes.

According to NJ Law if you are eligible for the lunch program you can not be excluded from receiving transportation if you can not afford it.. The LSTA is currently charging $260 per child for courtesy busing with an option to opt out if parents don't want to pay.

"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 hazordous "

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 

This is 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 hazordous 

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.