This bill mandates a second enrollment count for determining State school aid in New Jersey. Specifically, it requires that a school district's resident enrollment be calculated as the average of the number of students enrolled on two specific dates: the last school day prior to October 16 and the last school day prior to February 2 of the current school year. The bill outlines the criteria for including students in these counts, such as those enrolled in public schools, receiving home instruction, or participating in shared-time vocational programs. It also clarifies that disabled children aged three to five receiving services are included, while preschool, post-graduate, and post-secondary vocational students are excluded from the counts.

Additionally, the bill amends existing legal language regarding the enrollment of students placed in State facilities, specifying that counts for these students will only occur on the last school day prior to October 16 of the prebudget year. It also updates the definition of "at-risk pupils" to reflect the timing of enrollment counts. The changes aim to provide a more accurate representation of student enrollment for the purpose of calculating State aid, ensuring that funding reflects the actual number of students served by the districts. The bill is set to take effect immediately and will apply to the first full school year following its enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:7B-2, 18A:7F-33, 18A:4F-45