Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ALEXANDER "AVI" SCHNALL
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Modifies method of allocating State aid for providing auxiliary and remedial services to nonpublic school students.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning auxiliary and remedial services for nonpublic school students, amending and supplementing P.L.1977, c.192 and P.L.1977, c.193, and repealing various parts of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 8 of P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.6) is amended to read as follows:
8. If the provision of services, pursuant to [this act] P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.) requires transportation or the maintenance of vehicular classrooms, the board of education of a district in which a nonpublic school is located shall provide for such transportation and maintenance and the cost shall be [paid from] reimbursed to the district in the form of State aid received by the district for the purpose of [this act] P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.).
(cf: P.L.1984, c.120, s.1)
2. Section 14 of P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.8) is amended to read as follows:
14. a. On November 5 of each year, each board of education shall report the number of nonpublic school children who attended a nonpublic school located within the district who were identified as eligible to receive examination, classification, and speech correction services pursuant to [this act] P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.) during the previous school year. [The number of these pupils requiring an initial evaluation or reevaluation for examination and classification shall be multiplied by $990.73. The number of these pupils requiring an annual review for examination and classification shall be multiplied by $297.06. The number requiring speech correction shall be multiplied by $786.70. These products shall be added to determine the estimated cost for providing examination, classification, and speech corrections services to nonpublic school children during the next school year. Each board of education shall report the number of nonpublic school children who attended a nonpublic school located within the district, who were identified as eligible for supplementary instruction services during the preceding school year. The number of these pupils shall be multiplied by $752.41. This product shall be added to the estimated cost for providing examination, classification and speech correction services.
In preparing its annual budget, each board of education shall include as an expenditure the estimated cost of providing services to nonpublic school children pursuant to P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.).
In preparing its annual budget, each board of education shall include as a revenue State aid in an amount equal to the estimated cost of providing services to nonpublic school children pursuant to P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.).
During each school year, each district shall receive an amount of State aid equal to 10% of the estimated cost on the first day in September and on the first day of each month during the remainder of the school year. If a board of education requires funds prior to September, the board shall file a written request with the Commissioner of Education stating the need for the funds. The commissioner shall review each request and forward those for which need has been demonstrated to the appropriate officials for payment. In the event the expenditures incurred by any district are less than the amount of State aid received, the district shall refund the unexpended State aid after completion of the school year. The refunds shall be paid no later than December 1. In any year, a district may submit a request for additional aid pursuant to P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.). If the request is approved and funds are available from refunds of the prior year, payment shall be made in the current school year] The commissioner may require any additional data collection as may be necessary to ensure that the maximum per service aid amounts established pursuant to subsection c. of this section are reflective of the number of students eligible for each applicable service provided pursuant to P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.).
b. For the purposes of [the report] any report or other data provided pursuant to subsection a. of this section, a board of education shall include a pupil enrolled in a nonpublic school located within the district who does not reside in the State in the number of pupils requiring an initial evaluation or reevaluation for examination and classification or requiring an annual review for examination and classification.
Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.18A:46-6, N.J.S.18A:46-8, or any other section of law to the contrary, a school district may [use State aid received] seek reimbursement from the State pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.) for the initial evaluation or reevaluation for examination and classification or annual review for examination and classification of a nonpublic school pupil who is not a resident of the State.
c. The allocation of State aid to local school districts to provide services pursuant to P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.) shall be determined by the commissioner in a manner consistent with the provisions of this subsection, and the aid shall be distributed to school districts pursuant to section 3 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). In allocating State aid, the commissioner shall establish maximum per service aid amounts for an initial evaluation or reevaluation for examination and classification, an annual review for examination and classification, speech correction, and supplementary instruction services. The maximum per service aid amounts shall be established in a manner to be determined by the commissioner, provided that the method by which the commissioner establishes the maximum per service aid amounts is based on projected estimates, for the upcoming school year, of the number of services to be provided, students eligible for each service pursuant to P.L.1977, c.193 (C.18A:46-19.1 et al.), and the costs to provide the services. The estimates used by the commissioner to establish the maximum per service aid amounts shall be based on trends from recent school years in the number of services provided, eligible students, and service costs. The method by which the commissioner establishes the maximum per service aid amounts shall also ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, the amounts annually appropriated for services provided pursuan