163.161. State aid for transportation of pupils--powers of state board to approve routes, or portions of routes--effect--limitations on use of funds.
State aid for transportation of pupils--powers of state board toapprove routes, or portions of routes--effect--limitations on useof funds.
163.161. 1. Any school district which makes provision fortransporting pupils as provided in section 162.621, RSMo, and sections167.231 and 167.241, RSMo, shall receive state aid for the ensuing year forsuch transportation on the basis of the cost of pupil transportationservices provided the current year. A district shall receive, pursuant tosection 163.031, an amount not greater than seventy-five percent of theallowable costs of providing pupil transportation services to and fromschool and to and from public accredited vocational courses, and shall notreceive an amount per pupil greater than one hundred twenty-five percent ofthe state average approved cost per pupil transported the second precedingschool year, except when the state board of education determines thatsufficient circumstances exist to authorize amounts in excess of the onehundred twenty-five percent of the state average approved cost per pupiltransported the second previous year.
2. The state board of education shall determine public schooldistrict route approval procedures to be used by each public schooldistrict board of education to approve all bus routes or portions of routesand determine the total miles each public school district needs for safeand cost-efficient transportation of the pupils and the state board ofeducation shall determine allowable costs. No state aid shall be paid forthe costs of transporting pupils living less than one mile from the school.However, if the state board of education determines that circumstancesexist where no appreciable additional expenses are incurred in transportingpupils living less than one mile from school, such pupils may betransported without increasing or diminishing the district's entitlement tostate aid for transportation.
3. State aid for transporting handicapped and severely handicappedstudents attending classes within the school district or in a nearbydistrict under a contractual arrangement shall be paid in accordance withthe provisions of section 163.031 and an amount equal to seventy-fivepercent of the additional cost of transporting handicapped and severelyhandicapped students above the average per pupil cost of transporting allstudents of the district shall be apportioned pursuant to section 163.031where such special transportation is approved in advance by the departmentof elementary and secondary education. State aid for transportation ofhandicapped and severely handicapped children in a special school districtshall be seventy-five percent of allowable costs as determined by the stateboard of education which may for sufficient reason authorize amounts inexcess of one hundred twenty-five percent of the state average approvedcost per pupil transported the second previous year. In no event shallstate transportation aid exceed seventy-five percent of the total allowablecost of transporting all pupils eligible to be transported; provided thatno district shall receive reduced reimbursement for costs of transportationof handicapped and severely handicapped children based upon inefficiency.
4. No state transportation aid received pursuant to section 163.031shall be used to purchase any school bus manufactured prior to April 1,1977, that does not meet the federal motor vehicle safety standards.
(L. 1963 p. 200 § 4-16 and p. 335 § 165.143, A.L. 1965 p. 284, A.L. 1969 p. 268, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158, A.L. 1977 H.B. 131, A.L. 1978 H.B. 969, A.L. 1980 H.B. 1633, A.L. 1983 H.B. 815, A.L. 1985 H.B. 463, A.L. 1986 S.B. 707, A.L. 1987 H.B. 384 Revision, A.L. 1993 S.B. 380, A.L. 1998 S.B. 781)(Source: RSMo 1959 § 165.143)