Background
For over 35 years, the state of
Connecticut has mandated that municipalities or school districts provide for children enrolled in nonpublic nonprofit schools the same type of transportation services provided for children attending public schools.
A 1998 Connecticut Supreme Court case (Board of Education of the Town of
Stafford v. State Board of Education) reaffirmed that towns and school districts must provide transportation to parochial school students and must provide transportation even if there is a scheduling conflict.
Mayors, Selectman and school board members are supportive of this provision because they would rather support transportation costs, then the approximately $10,000 it costs a municipality to educate a public school student.
How Would
Interdistrict
School Transportation Work?
Presently, a student attending a Catholic or private school in a municipality, where they don not reside, must find their own transportation to the school of their choice. Interdistrict transportation would provide transportation to students who don not have a religious or private school in their municipality or choose to attend a school outside their district.
Providing interdistrict transportation would expand the opportunity for all citizens to have the choice of sending their children to a religious or private school in
Connecticut. Providing such a service would make religious and private schools more accessible for children in urban and rural areas.
This would increase the enrollment in non-public schools and lessen the financial responsibility of a municipality or school district.
Connecticut Federation of
Catholic
School Parents Position
The Connecticut Federation of Catholic School Parents support legislation that would allow interdistrict transportation to religious and private schools. This option would open up more choices to parents in the education of their children. It would also help address the issue of racial isolation within our urban areas.
In addition, the Connecticut Federation of Catholic School Parents would like to see
Connecticut’s Open Choice Program expanded to include religious and private schools. If there are open seats on a bus transporting children to a public school, these seats should be allocated to children attending nonpublic schools.
Results
There is an emerging consensus that school choice programs can lead to improved academic achievement, especially among African-American students, and has had a positive result on public schools as well.
Studies have also shown that students who switch from a public school to a non-public school scored higher in math and readings scores, compared to their public school peers. Parental and student satisfaction was high as well.
