This bill amends existing legislation to allow school districts in New Jersey to utilize unexpended State aid from specific nonpublic school programs to support other nonpublic school programs, rather than being required to refund the unspent funds. The bill specifically addresses unexpended State aid related to nonpublic nursing services, nonpublic textbook aid, nonpublic security aid, and the Nonpublic Technology Initiative. Under the new provisions, if a district's expenditures are less than the State aid received, the district may apply the unspent funds to other eligible programs, with the requirement that any remaining unexpended aid must still be refunded by December 1 of the following school year.

The bill also clarifies the process for determining the support limit for these programs based on the consumer price index and ensures that no district is obligated to spend beyond the amount of State aid received. The amendments aim to provide greater flexibility for school districts in managing their resources while still ensuring accountability for the use of State funds. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance the support for nonpublic school programs by allowing for a more efficient allocation of State aid.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:40-31, 18A:58-37.7, 18A:58-37.12