Missouri can fund up to 75% of school bus transportation costs, which currently total about $278 million. Under the governor’s and the Education Department’s new budget proposal, Missouri underfunds these expenses by about 185 million dollars.
During a House Budget Committee hearing, St. Louis Democrat Peter Merideth asked the department’s Kari Monsees why 93 million dollars was requested instead of 278 million.
Statute requires school transportation to be provided to students living more than three-and-a-half miles from school.
During a House Budget Committee hearing, Peter Merideth of St. Louis, the ranking Democrat on the committee, says 278 million dollars should have been requested instead of 93 million.
The current school transportation funding request is the same amount as the legislature approved last year.
