121.58 State aid.

(1) Report.

(a) In the report filed under s. 120.18 the school district clerk shall include such information as the department requires on the number of pupils for whom transportation or board and lodging is provided.

(b) Annually, by the time the department prescribes under s. 120.18, an operator of a charter school authorized under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that provides transportation to and from the charter school shall provide a report to the department that includes the number of pupils for whom transportation is provided and any other information the department requires related to the transportation of those pupils.

(2) State aid for transportation.

(a) A school district that provides transportation to and from a school under ss. 118.50 (3) (a), 121.54 (1) to (3), (5), and (6), and 121.57, a nonresident school district that a pupil attends under s. 118.51 or 121.84 (4) which elects to provide transportation under s. 121.54 (10), and an operator of a charter school authorized under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x) that provides transportation under s. 118.40 (2r) (dm) shall be paid state aid for such transportation at the following rates:

1. For each pupil so transported whose residence is at least 2 miles and not more than 5 miles from the school attended, $30 per school year in the 2005-06 school year and $35 per school year thereafter.

2. For each pupil so transported whose residence is more than 5 miles and not more than 8 miles from the school attended, $45 per school year in the 2005-06 school year and $55 per school year thereafter.

3. For each pupil so transported whose residence is more than 8 miles and not more than 12 miles from the school attended, $82 per school year in the 2005 school year and $110 per school year thereafter.

4. For each pupil so transported whose residence is more than 12 miles from the school attended, $300 per school year in the 2016-17 school year and $365 per school year thereafter.

(am) State aid for transportation shall not exceed the actual cost thereof. No state aid of any kind may be paid to a school district which charges the pupil transported or his or her parent or guardian any part of the cost of transportation provided under ss. 121.54 (1) to (3), (5), (6) and (10) and 121.57 or which willfully or negligently fails to transport all pupils for whom transportation is required under s. 121.54.

(b) A school board that provides transportation under s. 121.54 (2) (am) shall be paid state aid for such transportation at the rates specified and according to the conditions established under pars. (a) and (am), except that the amount of state aid may not exceed the amount which the school district would receive for transporting the child between the child's residence and school attended under s. 121.54 (1) to (3), (5), (6) or (9) or 121.57.

(c) A school district which provides transportation to and from a school under s. 121.54 (9) shall be paid state aid for such transportation at the rate of $12 per school year per pupil so transported in the 2005-06 school year and $15 per school year per pupil so transported thereafter. Such state aid shall be reduced proportionately in the case of a pupil transported for less than a full year because of nonenrollment. State aid for such transportation shall not exceed the actual cost thereof.

(d) In addition to any other payments made under this section, the department shall allocate $35,000 annually to reimburse school districts for 75 percent of the costs incurred to transport pupils over ice from their residence on an island to school on the mainland and back to their residence on the island, including the costs of maintaining and storing equipment. If in any school year the amount to which school districts are entitled under this paragraph exceeds $35,000, the department shall prorate the payments among the eligible school districts.

(3) State aid for board and lodging. A school district which provides board and lodging or housing under s. 121.57 (2) in lieu of transportation shall be paid state aid for such board and lodging or housing at the rate of not more than $6 per week of 5 days for each pupil so boarded and lodged or housed, but not to exceed 60 percent of the cost. For children with disabilities, as defined in s. 115.76 (5), such state aid shall be supplemented by the state aid under s. 115.88 in an amount not to exceed the full cost of such board and lodging.

(4) State aid for summer class transportation. Annually on or before October 1 of the year in which transportation is provided under s. 118.50 (3) (b) or 121.54 (4), or under s. 121.54 (10) if the transportation is provided by the nonresident school district that a pupil attends under s. 118.51 or 121.84 (4), the school district clerk shall file with the department a report, containing such information as the department requires, on transportation provided by the school board to and from summer classes. Upon receipt of such report and if the summer classes meet the requirements of s. 121.14 (1) (a) 1. or 2., state aid shall be paid for such transportation. A school district which provides such transportation shall be paid state aid for such transportation at the rate of $10 per pupil transported to and from public school whose residence is at least 2 miles and not more than 5 miles by the nearest traveled route from the public school attended, and $20 per pupil transported to and from public school whose residence is more than 5 miles by the nearest traveled route from the public school attended, if the pupil is transported 30 days or more. The state aid shall be reduced proportionately if the pupil is transported less than 30 days.

(5) State superintendent approval. If the state superintendent is satisfied that transportation or board and lodging was provided in compliance with law, the state superintendent shall certify to the department of administration the sum due the school district. The state superintendent may not certify payment of state aid under sub. (2) for the number of pupils calculated under s. 121.85 (6) (am). In case of differences concerning the character and sufficiency of the transportation or board and lodging, the state superintendent may determine such matter and his or her decision is final.

(6) Appropriation; proration, distribution of balance.

(a) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cr) in any one year is insufficient to pay the full amount of approved claims under this section, state aid payments for school districts not participating in the program under s. 121.575 shall be prorated as though the minimum amount under s. 121.575 (3) had not been made and state aid payments for school districts participating in the program under s. 121.575 shall be prorated after deducting the minimum amount under s. 121.575 (3).

(b) If the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cr) in any fiscal year exceeds the amount of approved claims paid in full under this section and s. 121.575, the department shall distribute the balance to those school districts and charter school operators entitled to state aid under this section, with each entitled recipient receiving a percentage of the balance equal to its percentage of the total approved claims.

(7) Payment. Each school district and charter school operator entitled to state aid under this section shall receive its total aid entitlement in January.

History: 1971 c. 125 s. 522 (1); 1973 c. 89, 333; 1975 c. 392; 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 34 ss. 966d, 2102 (43) (a); 1979 c. 221; 1983 a. 27, 538; 1985 a. 29; 1993 a. 492; 1995 a. 27, 439; 1997 a. 27, 113, 164; 1999 a. 9, 117; 2005 a. 25, 43; 2007 a. 20; 2011 a. 105; 2013 a. 20, 257; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 59.