Action Alert: Nonpublic transportation services

Nonpublic schools and school districts should have flexibility regarding transportation services

Urge your state senator to vote YES on S.F. 3745—a bill that allow nonpublic schools and school districts greater flexibility when transporting nonpublic students. 

 

The Minnesota Senate Education Finance and Policy Committee is voting on a bill on March 16 (TOMORROW) that would give greater flexibility for transporting nonpublic schools. Our nonpublic school students deserve the same access to transportation that public students enjoy. 

S.F. 3745 outlines options for a voluntary arrangement if the school district is contracting for bus and transportation services, or if the school districts uses employees to provide transportation services (or, in some cases, both). 

This mutually beneficial system was utilized when the Safe Learning Plan was in effect during the Peacetime Emergency Order in the 2020-21 school year. Once the Peacetime Emergency Order was lifted, the Safe Learning Plan was no longer in effect and school districts and nonpublic schools lost the ability to create these arrangements. We need to make the flexibility permanent, which will ensure that nonpublic school students have access to busing, even when public schools are not in session.  

It will also be helpful to ensure nonpublic schools are not stuck having to consistently re-adjust their start times whenever public schools change schedules or busing routes.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church’s definition of subsidiarity (CCC 1883) applies to the principle behind nonpublic aid such that "a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to co-ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good.” To that end, S.F. 3745 allows school districts to address their community needs at the local level in order to ensure that the educational goals of all students are met.

Act Now:

Encourage your senator to give transportation flexibility to our school districts and nonpublic schools!

If you have...

One Minute: Send a message to your state senator urging him or her to vote YES on S.F. 3745 in the Senate Education Finance and Policy Committee.

Three Minutes: After sending your elected officials a quick email, take another minute to call their office or send a video message. A suggested script and talking points will show up on your device. Legislators do not often get calls from their constituents, so a follow-up call or video will increase your impact and further build your relationship.

More Time: Offer an intercessory prayer to St. Christopher—the patron saint of transportation—asking for his intercession to keep students and bus drivers safe on their way to and from school and activities.