(1) The department shall assist district school boards in securing school buses, contractual needs, equipment, and supplies at as reasonable prices as possible by providing a plan under which district school boards may voluntarily pool their bids for such purchases. The department shall prepare bid forms and specifications, obtain quotations of prices and make such information available to district school boards in order to facilitate this service. District school boards from time to time, as prescribed by State Board of Education rule, shall furnish the department with information concerning the prices paid for such items and the department shall furnish to district school boards periodic information concerning the lowest prices at which school buses, equipment, and related supplies are available based upon comparable specifications.
(2) If a contract between any district school board and any person, business, or entity to provide the district school board with school bus service for the transportation of students in the district provides that the person, business, or entity shall own, operate, and maintain school buses for such service, the district school board may purchase the number of buses needed for the district through the department and sell them to the person, business, or entity as a part of the contract for such service.
(3) The Driving Choice Grant Program is created within the department to improve access to reliable and safe transportation for students participating in public educational school choices pursuant to s. 1002.20(6)(a) and to support innovative solutions that increase the efficiency of public school transportation.(a) Grant proposals may include:1. Transportation resource planning and sharing among school districts and local governments.
2. Developing or contracting with rideshare programs or developing carpool strategies.
3. Developing options to reduce costs and increase efficiencies while improving access to transportation options for families.
4. Developing options to address personnel challenges.
5. Expanding the use of transportation funds under ss. 1002.394, 1002.395, and 1011.68 to help cover the cost of transporting students to and from school. (b) The department shall publish on its website, by December 31, 2023, an interim report and by December 31, 2024, a final report that includes:1. The best practices used by grant recipients to increase transportation options for students, including any transportation barriers addressed by grant recipients.
2. The number of students served by grant recipients, including the number of students transported to a school that is different from the school to which the student is assigned.
