SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Friday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that restores funding for home-to-school transportation for the 2011-12 fiscal year.
As SBF reported in December, $248 million for free school bus service in the state was slashed as part of mid-year budget cuts.
Senate Bill (SB) 81, which took effect immediately, replaces the $248 million cut with an across-the-board revenue limit reduction at all school districts in the state.
Mike Rea, government relations chairperson for the California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO), had been working with his colleagues in the association on this effort since the cut to home-to-school transportation was proposed last year. Therefore, Rea said that last week’s development was welcome news.
“This was outstanding news for school transportation in California,” he told SBF on Monday. “We are very grateful to all of the legislators who made this bill a priority. School transportation funding is reinstated for this school year, but an equivalent $248 million cut was made to school districts’ base funding — their ‘revenue limit’ for this year. This ‘fix’ provided for a more equitable solution to the cut that was necessary due to lower than estimated revenues in the state's budget.”
Brown’s approval of SB 81 also pleased some legislators. Assembly member Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) praised the governor for his swift action on the bill — it was presented to him on Feb. 2 — and thanked him for signing it.
“I am thrilled that the Legislature and governor were able to come together to restore the funding that gets California’s students to school,” Chesbro said. “Home-to-school transportation is an essential service in my district. This bill was signed just in time to save the jobs of many school bus drivers and ensure that there is no interruption in getting kids to school.”
While the passage of SB 81 means that funding for school bus service is restored for this fiscal year, Rea noted that the work is not over in terms of restoring funding for the long term.
www.tt-i.info
Monday 20 February 2012
1 dead, 17 injured in N.J. school bus crash
CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP, N.J. — An investigation is underway into a fatal crash that occurred here on Thursday morning involving a school bus and a dump truck.
According to the Chesterfield Township Police Department, the school bus, which was carrying 25 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, was en route to Chesterfield Elementary School when the dump truck struck the driver’s side rear of the bus at an intersection.
The impact of the crash then caused the bus to strike a pole. One student was killed in the accident — an 11-year-old girl who was the daughter of a New Jersey state trooper — and 17 students sustained injuries.
The children were transported to hospitals for treatment of their injuries. Police later said that three of the children are currently in critical condition, and the condition of two other children is unknown.
The driver of the dump truck was Michael Caporale, 38, and the driver of the school bus was 66-year-old John Tieman. No charges have been filed on either driver at this point.
Officials said that a full forensic exam of all evidence, as well as numerous interviews and technical examinations will be conducted as the investigation into the crash continues. The process is expected to take several weeks to complete.
According to the Chesterfield Township Police Department, the school bus, which was carrying 25 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, was en route to Chesterfield Elementary School when the dump truck struck the driver’s side rear of the bus at an intersection.
The impact of the crash then caused the bus to strike a pole. One student was killed in the accident — an 11-year-old girl who was the daughter of a New Jersey state trooper — and 17 students sustained injuries.
The children were transported to hospitals for treatment of their injuries. Police later said that three of the children are currently in critical condition, and the condition of two other children is unknown.
The driver of the dump truck was Michael Caporale, 38, and the driver of the school bus was 66-year-old John Tieman. No charges have been filed on either driver at this point.
Officials said that a full forensic exam of all evidence, as well as numerous interviews and technical examinations will be conducted as the investigation into the crash continues. The process is expected to take several weeks to complete.
The Chesterfield Township Police Department said it will be the primary agency investigating the accident, with assistance from the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, the NJSP Troop C Criminal Investigations Office and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The NJSP Commercial Vehicle Inspection Unit will assist in the inspection of the vehicles involved.
Chesterfield Township School District Superintendent Ellen McHenry issued a letter to parents on Thursday following the accident.
“Our entire school family is sadly grieving the loss of one of our students as a result of the accident,” McHenry said. “We are continuing to monitor the conditions of those students who were injured in the accident at this time.”
Chesterfield Township School District Superintendent Ellen McHenry issued a letter to parents on Thursday following the accident.
“Our entire school family is sadly grieving the loss of one of our students as a result of the accident,” McHenry said. “We are continuing to monitor the conditions of those students who were injured in the accident at this time.”
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