CA AB1572

Entitles pupils attending public, noncharter schools receiving Title 1 federal funding to free transportation to and from school if they live more than one-half mile away or must travel through unsafe neighborhoods.

Requires school districts not currently providing transportation to all Title 1 school pupils to develop and implement a plan, developed in consultation with teachers, administrators, transit authorities, parents, and pupils, to ensure entitled pupils receive free transportation.

Authorizes school districts to contract with municipally owned transit systems to provide transportation to middle and high school pupils if drivers are public employees and the system can ensure consistent routes and schedules at marginal cost or no cost.

Creates the Transportation and Access to Public School Fund to reimburse school districts, county offices of education, and other entities for actual costs of providing entitled transportation, beginning in fiscal year 2017-18, contingent on legislative appropriation.

Provision becomes operative only if funding is provided in the annual Budget Act or another statute; establishes process for state reimbursement of local costs if deemed a state mandate.