HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 728        FILED ON: 1/17/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3570

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act fairly reimbursing local school transportation of foster children.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

2nd Berkshire

1/13/2023

James C. Arena-DeRosa

8th Middlesex

1/24/2023

David F. DeCoste

5th Plymouth

1/26/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/1/2023

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

2/6/2023

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

4/27/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 728        FILED ON: 1/17/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3570

By Representative Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3570) of Tricia Farley-Bouvier and others relative to reimbursing local school transportation of foster children.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act fairly reimbursing local school transportation of foster children.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 70 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 10 the following section:-

Section 10A. (a) The department and the department of children and families shall jointly apply for reimbursement from the United States Department of Education, pursuant to any and all applicable federal laws, including, but not limited to the Every Student Succeeds Act, 20 USC § 6301, for the costs incurred by a school district for transportation of a child in foster care between the foster home and the child’s school of origin, if placement in that school has been determined to be in the child’s best interests. The school district shall certify its costs for such transportation on a form designated by the department for this purpose and complete the form in accordance with the department’s instructions. The department shall transmit any reimbursement amounts received from the United States Department of Education to the school district.

(b) To the extent that the United States Department of Education does not reimburse the commonwealth in full for the certified costs for such school transportation of a child in foster care, the department shall reimburse the school district for the balance of the certified costs.