LAKEWOOD, NJ — Lakewood's 19,000 private school students will be bused to school this year through a program approved by Gov. Chris Christie that will cost $7.2 million over the next three years, according to a report.

Under the program, a consortium will be created to manage the busing, which will be funded by money from the Lakewood School District, up to $884 per student for each student who qualifies for the busing, according to the report.

Christie said he approved the program because it is not safe for students to walk to school in the township, according to the report.

The program is the result of months of wrangling within Lakewood over the costs of busing students, costs that school district officials have said are crippling the district.