The Lakewood Board of Education approved a resolution tonight rescinding its previous authorization to provide courtesy transportation to non-mandated public school students, citing the loss of municipal funding resulting from state funding cuts.

According to the resolution, the municipality advised the Lakewood Board of Education that it would no longer be able to fund transportation for students whose busing is not required under state law.

“As such the Lakewood Board of Education no longer has the funds to provide courtesy bussing for the non mandated students in the public and non public schools,” the resolution states.

The development represents another significant change to Lakewood’s transportation system following reductions in state funding to the municipality.

For years, Lakewood has provided courtesy busing to thousands of students who do not meet the state’s eligibility requirements for mandated transportation. The arrangement has allowed students living within the state-mandated transportation distances to receive bus service despite the service not being legally required.

Last week, blaming a loss of an expected subsidy from Lakewood Township, the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority (LSTA) initially announced a $945 annual fee for non-mandated students after the loss of municipal funding. Following discussions among the LSTA, local and state officials and community leaders, the fee was subsequently reduced to $675 per student, and local schools reversed an earlier recommendation that parents not opt into the program.