Howard-Winneshiek, North Winneshiek and Decorah Schools among those districts benefitting from a new school transportation funding formula

The Iowa House of Representatives has approved a spending bill which would set up $21.3 million in payments to school districts where the cost of busing students is higher. 190 school districts will receive money to help pay down their higher costs of busing students.

State Representative Michael Bergan says nine school districts in House District 55 will benefit from the payments. The average transportation cost per student is $330. In Northeast Iowa, North Winneshiek spends an average of $954.81 per pupil on transportation. It will receive a total of $158,352 in new state funding for transportation. The Decorah School District pays an average of $483.17 per pupil. It will receive an additional $139,546 in state transportation funding.
 
The Howard-Winneshiek School District covers one of the largest areas for school districts in Iowa. It spends the most money on transportation costs of any of the nine school districts in Iowa House District 55--$773,160. The State of Iowa will send an extra $331,580 in transportation subsidies to Howard Winneshiek under the new legislation.
 
Turkey Valley will be getting an additional $65,969 in state transportation funding, while South Winneshiek will be receiving an additional $43,780.  Postville will not be getting additional funding, since its per-pupil transportation costs are lower than the statewide average. Bergan says in total, nine school districts in House District 55 will receive more than $1.3 million in additional school transportation funding.