HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1123        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

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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.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1123        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3570 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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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.