Requested Information
The following information was provided to the BOE to respond to budget questions.
This gives a per bus cost of just over $39,000. During redistricting, the Director of Transportation stated that a bus costs on average $68,000.
I am requesting any explanations of how bus contracts / costs are determined for both public schools and parochial schools, especially since Howard County Code 9.101 stipulates
"The County Council of Howard County is hereby authorized to appropriate annually to the Board of Education of Howard County, from any funds received by said Howard County for any general County purpose and not derived from any tax levied on real property, such sum as the said Board of Education may request to enable it to defray any costs incurred by it in carrying into effect the provisions of section 9.100 and to establish new bus routes, in the discretion of the Board of Education of Howard County, for the transportation to and from school of children attending schools not receiving State aid. The transportation of children to and from schools not receiving State aid shall be upon such reasonable terms and conditions as the Board of Education may from time to time determine, but in no event shall the amount charged children attending such schools for using buses or conveyances be greater or less than the amount charged children attending the public schools for the same kind of transportation." [emphasis added]
Please also provide the bus contractors being used for the parochial schools currently.
This gives a per bus cost of just over $39,000. During redistricting, the Director of Transportation stated that a bus costs on average $68,000.
I am requesting any explanations of how bus contracts / costs are determined for both public schools and parochial schools, especially since Howard County Code 9.101 stipulates
"The County Council of Howard County is hereby authorized to appropriate annually to the Board of Education of Howard County, from any funds received by said Howard County for any general County purpose and not derived from any tax levied on real property, such sum as the said Board of Education may request to enable it to defray any costs incurred by it in carrying into effect the provisions of section 9.100 and to establish new bus routes, in the discretion of the Board of Education of Howard County, for the transportation to and from school of children attending schools not receiving State aid. The transportation of children to and from schools not receiving State aid shall be upon such reasonable terms and conditions as the Board of Education may from time to time determine, but in no event shall the amount charged children attending such schools for using buses or conveyances be greater or less than the amount charged children attending the public schools for the same kind of transportation." [emphasis added]
Please also provide the bus contractors being used for the parochial schools currently.
Date Received
Status
Complete
Responsive Documents
Responsive to this request, please find attached a recent memo to the Board of Education which contains information regarding bus costs related to parochial schools.