School transport for Māori-medium schools

Māori-medium schools that provide education under section 201 or 204 of the Education and Training Act 2020 are eligible for school transport assistance funding. 

Level of compliance Main audience Other

Inform

  • Boards
  • Tumuaki
  • Proprietors
  • Parents, Caregivers & Whānau

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 formula.

Funding rates

The following rates apply from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024:

CATEGORY RATE – no driver wage uplift applied* RATE – with driver wage uplift applied*
Rural/Decile 1-4 (per-student rate) $10.6471 $10.9365
Rural/Decile 5-10 (per-student rate) $7.9265 $8.1420
Urban/Decile 1-4 (per-student rate) $7.6920 $7.9011
Urban/Decile 5-10 (per-student rate) $6.2146 $6.3835
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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