Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A)
As used in the
rule:
(1)
"Shared resource management" means school district resources
that are collaboratively agreed upon and shared between at least two city,
local, or exempted village school districts to reduce transportation
costs.
(2)
"Routing consolidation" means reducing the number of
routes by collaborating with one or more school districts to reduce
transportation costs.
(3)
"Regional collaboration" means identifying
opportunities within a given region that includes at least two city, local, or
exempted village school districts working together collaboratively to reduce
transportation costs.
(B)
A city, local or
exempted village school district may apply to the department of education in
accordance with paragraph (C) of this rule for a transportation collaboration
grant.
(C)
Application process
(1)
A city, local or
exempted village school district may apply for a transportation collaboration
grant by submitting an application to the department by:
(a)
A date to be
determined by the department of education for fiscal year 2022;
(b)
The thirtieth day
of September for fiscal year 2023 and for any subsequent fiscal year for which
this grant is authorized and funds are appropriated for its
administration.
(2)
The application
shall include all of the following information:
(a)
A description of
the proposed activity or activities that will lead to a reduction of the
district's overall transportation operation costs. Allowable activities include
those that lead to:
(i)
Shared resource management;
(ii)
Routing
consolidation;
(iii)
Regional collaboration; or
(iv)
Other activities
that have the potential to reduce transportation operating
costs.
(b)
A list of all school districts involved as partners in
the planned activity or activities. An educational service center may be
included as a partner. The application must include the signature of the
superintendent and treasurer of the applying city, local, or exempted village
school district and any partners indicating that each participating partner
agrees to participate in the proposed activities.
(c)
The estimated
transportation cost reduction that the city, local or exempted village district
anticipates through implementation of the activities in the proposal that will
be saved by city, local or exempted village school district as a result of this
activity.
(d)
Evidence to support the estimated reduction in
transportation costs.
(D)
Each city, local,
or exempted village school district awarded a grant under this rule is required
to submit a report to the department by the thirtieth day of September
following the fiscal year in which the grant was administered. The report must
include:
(1)
The
activities conducted using grant funds; and
(2)
Reductions in
operating costs resulting from grant activities.
(E)
In order for a
grant recipient to be eligible for subsequent fiscal year grant awards, the
recipient must either:
(1)
Demonstrate on the report submitted under paragraph (D)
of this rule that the activities conducted using grant funds resulted in
transportation operating cost reductions; or
(2)
If the activities
in the prior grant cycle did not lead to reductions in transportation operating
costs, demonstrate that new approaches will lead to reductions in
transportation operating costs through the allowable activities under paragraph
(C)(2)(a) of this rule.
(F)
The grants
administered under this rule are available for fiscal years 2022 and 2023. In
the event that the general assembly appropriates funds and reauthorizes the
administration of this grant in subsequent fiscal years, this rule will apply
to subsequent grants.
