The Fairness in Special Education Funding for Student Success Act seeks to improve funding and support for special education services in New Jersey, particularly for students requiring high needs placements with projected costs exceeding $55,000. The bill establishes the Office of High Needs Placement Funding within the Department of Education, which will manage contracts and payments to service providers, ensuring timely and accurate funding based on actual costs. Additionally, a High Needs Placement Committee will be created to develop a quality rating system for providers and analyze data related to special education services. The legislation also mandates the State Board of Education to adopt regulations to implement these provisions and reinforces the State's commitment to adequately fund special education.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new school funding formula aimed at addressing previous deficiencies, particularly for districts with high concentrations of at-risk students. It deletes provisions that incentivized keeping classified students in neighborhood schools and expands the definition of at-risk students to include those qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The legislation proposes an expanded high-quality preschool program and establishes a census model for special education funding to address cost variability across districts. Overall, the bill aims to create a transparent and predictable funding structure that aligns with educational standards and meets the diverse needs of New Jersey's student population.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:7F-44, 18A:7F-46, 18A:7F-55, 46:15-7.1