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Bill

S 4363

Establishes "Hazardous School Route Grant Program" in DOE; appropriates $15 million.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Linda Greenstein

NJ will fund grants up to 1M per district to improve pedestrian safety on hazardous walking routes for students without courtesy busing.

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee
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Bill Summary · S 4363

Overview

Bill S 4363 (Session 222, New Jersey) establishes the Hazardous School Route Grant Program within the Department of Education (DOE), in consultation with the Department of Transportation (DOT), to fund projects that improve pedestrian safety on routes designated as hazardous for students who walk to school. The bill appropriates $15 million from the General Fund to DOE to administer these grants and sets eligibility, funding limits, project administration, reporting, and rulemaking provisions. The act takes effect immediately.

Main purpose and intent

  • Create a dedicated grant program to mitigate safety hazards on school routes not served by courtesy busing.
  • Provide financial support to school districts for capital improvements and related activities that enhance pedestrian safety along hazardous routes.
  • Coordinate with DOT to ensure alignment with transportation considerations and for reporting purposes.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definition of terms:
    • “Hazardous route”: a route inside a school district not covered by courtesy busing, requiring students to walk, and designated by the district as hazardous.
    • “Grant program”: the Hazardous School Route Grant Program to be established and administered by the DOE.
  • Eligibility and qualifications (district-level criteria):
    • The district is not providing courtesy busing in the current year, has eliminated it in the last five years, and will not provide it in the following year’s adopted budget (if budget filed by application date).
    • The district has a hazardous route policy adopted under prior statute (C.18A:39-1.5).
    • No other transportation infrastructure funding is allocated to the project (with limited allowance for municipal cost-sharing or in-kind contributions, so long as funding is not sourced from transportation infrastructure funds for the project).
    • The district’s most recent adopted school budget has general fund tax levy and equalization aid below the adequacy budget.
  • Funding and use of grants:
    • DOE may award grants to one or more districts in any amount, but no district may receive more than $1,000,000 across all projects.
    • Permitted uses include capital improvements and temporary transportation to the extent necessary to complete funded projects.
  • Application process:
    • Districts apply in coordination with the municipality’s governing body, detailing eligibility, municipal responsibilities for right-of-way, permitting, long-term maintenance, and whether the municipality will contribute cost-sharing or in-kind support.
    • Applications may cover multiple projects if each project aligns with permitted uses.
  • Evaluation and prioritization:
    • DOE reviews applications based on severity of hazards, number of students affected, and number of at-risk pupils impacted by lack of courtesy busing.
    • Applications with municipal cost-sharing or in-kind commitments are prioritized, but such commitments are not mandatory for approval.
    • Approvals may be granted on a rolling basis, subject to fund availability.
  • Accountability and reporting for grant recipients:
    • Grantees must submit a project plan before starting, annual progress reports, and a final report detailing expenditures, safety improvements, and the number of students impacted.
  • State reporting and oversight:
    • DOE, with DOT, must deliver a report to the Governor and Legislature no later than 60 days after the end of each school year in which grants are administered. The report will cover safety outcomes and recommendations on continuing or expanding the program.
  • Rulemaking:
    • DOE and DOT must adopt regulations (Administrative Procedure Act) to implement the program, including application requirements, selection criteria, and permitted uses of grants.

Who would be affected

  • School districts with hazardous routes and without courtesy busing would be eligible to apply for grants.
  • Municipal governing bodies in districts seeking grants, as they must participate in applications and may be responsible for right-of-way, permitting, and long-term maintenance, and may contribute municipal cost-sharing or in-kind support.
  • Students who use hazardous routes could benefit from safety improvements funded by the program.
  • The New Jersey Department of Education and the New Jersey Department of Transportation would oversee program administration, monitoring, and reporting.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Funding authorization: $15 million appropriation to DOE for the program.
  • Application and review: Rolling basis approvals as applications are received and funds are available.
  • Annual reporting: By 60 days after the end of each school year in which grants were administered.
  • Implementation: Recipients must submit project plans before starting, plus ongoing progress and final reports.
  • Effective date: The act takes effect immediately.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Provides targeted funding to address safety gaps on walking routes where courtesy busing is not available.
  • Encourages municipalities to collaborate and share costs or contribute in-kind support, though such contributions are not required for grant approval.
  • Establishes clear accountability and measurable outcomes through project planning and reporting.
  • Could help reduce pedestrian-related risks for students along hazardous routes and improve overall district safety infrastructure.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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