Section 520 – Rural school transportation reimbursement.

• (1) As used in this section:
  • (a) “Eligible LEA” means a school district or a charter school:
    • (i) that is located in a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class, as defined in Section 17-50-501; and
    • (ii) in which:
      • (A) for a fiscal year other than fiscal year 2021 or 2022, at least 65% of the students enrolled in the school district or charter school qualify for free or reduced price lunch; or
      • (B) for fiscal year 2021 or 2022, at least 65% of the students enrolled in the school district or charter school qualified for free or reduced price lunch in fiscal year 2019.
  • (b) “Eligible school” means a school:
    • (i) in an eligible LEA; and
    • (ii) that the eligible LEA has provided transportation to and from for a regular school day for students for at least five years.
  • (c) “LEA governing board” means:
    • (i) the local school board of a school district that is an eligible LEA; or
    • (ii) the charter school governing board of a charter school that is an eligible LEA.

• (2) An LEA governing board may annually submit a request to the state board to receive reimbursement for an expense that:
  • (a) the LEA governing board incurs transporting a student to or from an eligible school for the regular school day; and
  • (b) the LEA governing board does not pay using state funding for pupil transportation described in Section 53F-2-402 or 53F-2-403.

• (3)
  • (a) Subject to legislative appropriations, and except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), the state board shall reimburse an LEA governing board for an expense included in a request described in Subsection (2).
  • (b) If the legislative appropriation for this section is insufficient to fund an expense in a request received under Subsection (2), the state board may reduce an LEA governing board’s reimbursement in accordance with the rules described in Subsection (4).

• (4) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the state board shall make rules that establish:
  • (a) requirements for information an LEA governing board shall include in a reimbursement request described in Subsection (2);
  • (b) a deadline by which an LEA governing board shall submit a request described in Subsection (2); and
  • (c) a formula for reducing an LEA governing board’s allocation under Subsection (3).

• (5) Nothing in this section affects a school district’s allocation for pupil transportation under Sections 53F-2-402 and 53F-2-403.

Amended by Chapter 303, 2021 General Session