121.59 High cost transportation aid.
(1) In this section:
(a) “Eligible school district" means a school district the membership of which in the previous school year, when divided by the school district's area in square miles, is 50 or less.
(b) “Transportation costs" means costs that are eligible for reimbursement under s. 121.58.
(2) Annually the department shall pay to each eligible school district the amount determined as follows:
(a) Divide the statewide school district transportation costs in the previous school year by the statewide membership in the previous school year and multiply the quotient by 1.45.
(b) Divide the school district's transportation costs in the previous school year by the school district's membership in the previous school year.
(c) Subtract the product under par. (a) from the quotient under par. (b).
(d) If the remainder under par. (c) is a positive number, multiply it by the school district's membership.
(e) Divide the product under par. (d) for the school district by the product under par. (d) for all eligible school districts.
(f) Multiply the quotient under par. (e) by the amount appropriated under s. 20.255 (2) (cq).
(2m)
(a) Beginning in the 2017-18 school year and in any school year thereafter, if a school district was eligible to receive aid under sub. (2) in the immediately preceding school year but is ineligible to receive aid in the current school year because the number under sub. (2) (d) is not a positive number, the state superintendent shall, subject to par. (b), pay to that school district the amount determined as follows:
1. Determine the amount paid to the school district under sub. (2) (f) in the immediately preceding school year.
2. Multiply the amount under subd. 1. by 0.5.
(b) The sum of all payments under par. (a) may not exceed $200,000 in any fiscal year. If in any school year the amount to which school districts are entitled under par. (a) exceeds $200,000, the state superintendent shall prorate the payments among the eligible school districts.
(3) Aid under this section shall be paid from the appropriation under s. 20.255 (2) (cq).
History: 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 59.