Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
                              [First Reprint]
                                SENATE, No. 2771
                             STATE OF NEW JERSEY
                              220th LEGISLATURE
                                             DATED: JULY 6, 2023
                                                  SUMMARY
    Synopsis:                   Establishes five-year community schools pilot program.
    Type of Impact:             Five-year State cost increase; potential five-year cost increase for
                                certain school districts.
    Agencies Affected:          Department of Education; participating school districts.
                                       Office of Legislative Services Estimate
    Fiscal Impact                                             Five-Year Duration of Pilot Program
    State Cost Increase                                                   Indeterminate
    Potential School District Cost Increase                               Indeterminate
    The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that this bill would result in an indeterminate
     State expenditure increase during the five-year duration of the pilot program.
    The Department of Education did not respond to a request for a fiscal note, and the OLS has
     no informational basis to credibly predict the terms of the contract the department will
     negotiate with a third party.
    The FY 2024 Governor’s Budget includes a recommendation that a new Community Schools
     Pilot Program Fund be funded at $3 million in FY 2024.
    Participating school districts might incur some costs related to the program over the five-year
     pilot period.
                                            BILL DESCRIPTION
  This bill establishes a five-year Community Schools Pilot Program in the Department of
Education. Community schools are defined as public schools that participate in a community
      Office of Legislative Services                                    Legislative Budget and Finance Office
           State House Annex                                                    Phone (609) 847-3105
              P.O. Box 068                                                       Fax (609) 777-2442
      Trenton, New Jersey 08625                                                  www.njleg.state.nj.us
                                          FE to S2771 [1R]
                                                  2
based effort to coordinate and integrate educational, developmental, family, health, and other
comprehensive services through community-based organizations and public and private
partnerships, providing access to these services to students, families, and the community year-
round.
    Under the bill, the department would identify and enter into a contract with an institution of
higher education or a qualified nonprofit organization with the appropriate capacity and experience
located in the State to manage the pilot program. The selected institution or organization would
be responsible for establishing a technical assistance center that would be available to schools
participating in the pilot program and would be responsible for making group training sessions and
information about community schools available to any public school interested in establishing a
community school.
    Additionally, the department, in coordination with the institution or organization and the New
Jersey Community Schools Coalition, would be responsible for developing specific criteria to
select participants, with one public school of a school district, renaissance school, or charter school
in each county of the State selected to receive direct assistance from a site coordinator. A public
school selected to participate in the pilot program would enter into an agreement with the selected
organization or institution of higher education outlining at minimum the role, responsibilities, and
authority the site coordinator has in supporting the establishment of the community school site.
    The department would annually receive an audit of the accounts and financial transactions of
the organization or institution of higher education for the duration of the pilot program. The bill
further requires that the department enter into a contract with an independent entity to conduct an
evaluation of the pilot program. The final report, which the commissioner would forward to the
Governor and the Legislature, would be due no later than six months following the completion of
the pilot program.
                                     FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
   None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
    The OLS finds that this bill would result in an indeterminate State expenditure increase during
the five-year duration of the pilot program. The bill delegates to the Department of Education the
authority to negotiate a contract, including the terms of compensation, with a third party to
implement this pilot program. The Department of Education did not respond to a request for a
fiscal note, and the OLS has no informational basis to credibly predict the terms of the contract the
department will negotiate with a third party. However, the FY 2024 Governor’s Budget includes
a recommendation that a new Community Schools Pilot Program Fund be funded at $3 million in
FY 2024.
    Participating school districts might incur some costs related to the program over the five-year
pilot period.
                                           FE to S2771 [1R]
                                                   3
  Section:     Education
  Analyst:     Lauren Ploucha
               Associate Counsel
  Approved:    Thomas Koenig
               Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).