§ 115C-218.42.  Charter School Transportation Grant Program.

(a) Purpose; Definition. - There is established the Charter School Transportation Grant Program (Program). The purpose of the Program shall be to award grant funds to a charter school that meets the requirements of subsection (b) of this section for the reimbursement of up to sixty-five percent (65%) of the eligible student transportation costs incurred by the school in accordance with the provisions of this section. For purposes of this section, the term "eligible student transportation costs" means costs incurred by the charter school for (i) transportation fuel, (ii) vehicle maintenance, (iii) contracted transportation services, and (iv) transportation personnel salaries.

(b) Program Eligibility. - If a charter school has student enrollment in a semester of the school year of at least fifty percent (50%) of its students residing in households with an income level not in excess of the amount required for a student to qualify for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program, the charter school may apply to the Department for grant funds under the Program for reimbursement of up to sixty-five percent (65%) of the eligible student transportation costs incurred by the school for that semester.

(c) Applications. - By August 1 of each year, the Department shall establish the criteria and guidelines for the grant application process for the upcoming school year, including any documentation required to be submitted with the application. Each school year, the Department shall accept applications until December 31 for eligible student transportation costs incurred during the fall semester of the school year and until May 15 for eligible student transportation costs incurred during the spring semester of the school year.

(d) Award of Funds. - From funds made available for the Program, the Department shall award grant funds to the selected charter schools by February 15 for eligible student transportation costs incurred during the fall semester of the same school year and by June 15 for eligible student transportation costs incurred during the spring semester of the prior school year. The total amount of each grant awarded under the Program shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per charter school per school year.

(e) Reporting. - No later than March 15 of each year in which funds are awarded under the Program, the Department shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee, the Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Fiscal Research Division on the administration of the Program, including at least the following information:

(1) The number of charter schools that received grant funds.

(2) The amount of grant funds awarded to those charter schools.

(3) Whether implementing the Program has led to an increase in charter schools offering lunch.

(4) Whether implementing the Program has led to an increase in student lunch participation at charter schools offering lunch.

(5) Whether implementing the Program has increased or expanded the offering of student transportation by charter schools.

(6) The modes of student transportation offered by charter schools that received grant funds. (2021-180, s. 7.69(a); 2023-134, s. 7.26(c).)