Student transportation in Michigan: FAQ for district transportation leaders
Answers to common questions from Michigan transportation directors, with a link to the official source for every answer. Updated October 2026. State rules change, so confirm details with MDE before you act on them.
How do Michigan count days affect district funding?
Michigan holds 2 count days each year. The fall count is on the 1st Wednesday in October and the spring count is on the 2nd Wednesday in February. State funding blends the current year's fall count, weighted at 90%, with the prior year's spring count, weighted at 10%. Fall count day carries most of the weight, so getting every rider to school on time that week supports a strong count.
Source: MDE, student count day and school funding
What if a student is absent on count day?
A student who misses count day can still be counted if they attend within a set window afterward. The window is 30 calendar days for an excused absence, 10 school days for an unexcused absence and 45 calendar days for a suspension. Reliable transportation in the weeks after count day helps returning students get back in class within the window.
Source: MDE, student count day and school funding
What is the SE-4159?
The SE-4159 is the bus log Michigan districts complete during the pupil transportation count week. MDE posts updated SE-4159-SL and SE-4159-RL forms each year with guidance on how to count ridership and complete each form. Ridership counts by route and stop make this log much easier to complete.
Source: MDE, transportation state aid information
What is the SE-4094 and when is it due?
The SE-4094 is the Transportation Expenditure Report. Districts file it in the Financial Information Database run by the Center for Educational Performance and Information. It is due no later than 1 week after the last business day in September each year. Local districts submit to their intermediate school district 2 weeks before that so the ISD has time to approve it.
Source: MDE, transportation state aid information
How does Section 22l transportation reimbursement work?
Section 22l reimburses districts and ISDs for pupil transportation costs. MDE places each district in an octile based on riders per square mile and finds the median cost per rider for each octile. The initial payment is the lesser of that median or the district's actual cost per general education rider. Districts with reasonable outlier costs can receive an additional amount.
Source: Michigan Compiled Laws 388.1622l
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