School transport for Māori-medium schools
Māori-medium schools that provide education under section 204 of the Education and Training Act 2020 are eligible for school transport assistance funding.
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Read the te reo Māori version of this page
Overview
To be eligible for Māori-medium school transport assistance funding, kura must have a designated character under Section 204 of the Education and Training Act 2020 and provide a kaupapa Māori education (for example, kura kaupapa Māori, kura-a-iwi or wharekura).
Section 204 – Education and Training Act 2020(external link)
Ākonga eligibility
Eligible ākonga must live at least 3.2km (Years 1-8) or 4.8km (Years 9-13) from their kura, kura kaupapa Māori or wharekura.
Funding
Māori-medium school transport assistance funding is paid to kura boards quarterly in advance and are reviewed on an annual basis.
Kura are required to use this funding to provide school transport assistance to all eligible ākonga.
How funding is worked out for each kura
The quarterly amount the kura is paid is calculated as follows:
Funding rates
The following rates apply from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025:
| CATEGORY | RATE – no driver wage uplift applied* | RATE – with driver wage uplift applied* |
|---|---|---|
| Rural/Decile 1-4 (per-student rate) | $11.2051 | $11.5097 |
| Rural/Decile 5-10 (per-student rate) | $8.3419 | $8.5687 |
| Urban/Decile 1-4 (per-student rate) | $8.0951 | $8.3152 |
| Urban/Decile 5-10 (per-student rate) | $6.5403 | $6.7181 |
| Quarterly admin rate | $3.35 per eligible ākonga | $3.35 per eligible ākonga |
* In January 2023, extra funding was made available to ensure that the wage rates of rural school bus drivers did not fall out of step with the wage rates of public transport bus drivers. This funding has been applied in regions where public transport wages are demonstrably higher than comparable school bus services, and where the region has already applied wage increases.
These rates are reviewed annually. The review considers changes in transport costs and takes account of the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency index data and processes to calculate any adjustment for movements of input costs.
Funding review cycle
In March of each year, we work with kura to review their ākonga eligibility numbers.
Any changes in funding as a result of these reviews take effect from Quarter 2 (April).
Apply for funding
Contact us at: School.Transport@education.govt.nz
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