Hefkervelt
LSTA: New Rule: Primary Students Not 5 by Sept. 30 Ineligible for Busing
May 25, 2026·2 min read
LSTA notifies The Lakewood community of an important change to student transportation eligibility that will take effect beginning with the 2026–2027 school year.
According to a notice distributed to parents, the Lakewood Board of Education has updated its transportation eligibility guidelines in order to "align with policies followed by neighboring townships." Under the revised policy, students must be 5 years old by September 30 in order to qualify for Board-funded transportation services.
The new guideline will impact children born between October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 who are entering school during the 2026–2027 academic year. Families with children in this category may no longer qualify for transportation coverage previously available under earlier criteria.
Parents can opt in at a cost of $1,272.00 ($1,177.00 cost + $95.00 processing fee)
Officials stated that notifications have already been emailed directly to affected families with additional details regarding the change and available options.
Parents are encouraged to log in to the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority website to review transportation alternatives and plan accordingly for the upcoming school year.
The policy change has also sparks renewed discussion among parents regarding courtesy busing fees. Existing Board of Education guidelines stating that parents who qualify for the school lunch program should not be charged for courtesy transportation if they are unable to afford it. The question is why the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority appears to selectively follow certain BOE policies such as adopting the new age cutoff for transportation eligibility while continuing to charge fees for courtesy busing despite the financial hardship provisions outlined in BOE guidelines.