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Private Schools

May 2024 Update

Bus registration for private school students will open in early June. Please check back then to register your student.

As a reminder, all students must have a bus pass to ride the bus. Please refer to the instructions below for purchasing a bus pass online.

Private School Bus Registration and Fees

In accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Newton residents whose children attend private schools in Newton are eligible for bus transportation provided by the Newton Public School district. All students attending private schools who would like to use bus transportation, must register for a bus pass. 
 
Bus Pass: If you do not yet have an account in the Newton Public Schools Student Information System (Aspen), you will need us to create an account for you. Please contact our transportation department for assistance: 617-559-9051 or email.
 
Registration: The bus application process is online. NPS uses MySchoolBucks as its registration and payment portal for bus passes. Register at MySchoolBucks. If you do not have a MySchoolBucks account, you will be asked to create one.* 
 
*You cannot create an account and register for a bus pass in MySchoolBucks until we have created an account for you in Aspen. See above for instructions on obtaining an Aspen account.
 
Please note that the registration process will ask for your bus stop. You can utilize the bus stops from this past year to select a stop closest to your residenceStops may be adjusted based upon the number of passes purchased and the location of students needing transportation.
 
Fees
The bus fee for the 2024-25 school year is $400 ($800 cap per family.) The fees for private school students are the same as public school students. Please note the following related to distance waivers:
  • K-5th grade students – All elementary students who reside LESS than 2 miles from their school and wish to ride the bus must pay a bus fee. Students who reside MORE than 2 miles from their school and wish to ride the bus DO NOT pay the fee.
  • 6th grade students – if you reside LESS than 2 miles from the school and wish to ride the bus, you pay the fee. If you reside MORE than 2 miles from the school and wish to ride the bus, you do NOT pay the fee.
  • 7th – 12th grade students – all students in grades 7-12 pay the fee to ride the bus.

To determine your distance from the school, use the City of Newton's  Residential Services tool.

Reminder: all students must have a bus pass to ride the bus. When you register, payment will not be requested if you are not required to pay based on your distance or financial aid status.

Private School Bus Routes and Stops

Private school bus routes and stops utilize the previous year's routes and stops as a starting point. As such, please use the 2023-24 routes linked below as a reference when choosing your bus stop during the bus registration process. If you do not see an existing stop in close proximity to your residence, please contact your private school administrator or the Newton Public Schools Transportation Department as soon as possible to request a stop be added in your area for your student(s).

Private school bus routes for the 2024-25 school year will be determined by the stops for which bus passes have been purchased. Any existing stop for which a family has not purchased a pass for the 2024-2025 school year will be removed. 

New routes for the 2024-2025 school year will be posted in the middle of August. All requests for new stops after the routes are posted may take 4-8 weeks to be added, provided there is time and space to do so.