Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN J. BURZICHELLI
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Modifies certain procedures pertaining to school district regionalization; establishes grant program for cost reimbursement of conducting regionalization feasibility studies; and provides financial incentives for regionalization.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school district regionalization, amending various parts of the statutory law, and supplementing chapter 13 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) As used in sections 2 through 8 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
Board of education means and includes the board of education of a local school district, consolidated school district, non-operating school district, and the board of education of a limited purpose or all purpose regional district.
Division means the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs.
Governing body means and includes, in the event that a school district enumerated herein does not have a board of education, the governing body of a local school district, consolidated school district, and the governing body of a municipality constituting a constituent district of a limited purpose or all purpose regional district.
School district means and includes a local school district, consolidated school district, non-operating school district, a constituent school district, and a limited purpose or all purpose regional district.
2. (New section) The Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs shall establish a grant program, within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the program, the purpose of which shall be to provide for the reimbursement of eligible costs associated with conducting feasibility studies that support the creation of meaningful and implementable plans to form or expand regional school districts. In addition to funds being made available to boards of education and governing bodies seeking to conduct feasibility studies after the date of enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), funds under the grant program shall be made available to:
a. the boards of education or governing bodies of two or more school districts which have conducted within two years prior to the enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) a feasibility study for which no prior reimbursement was made; and
b. the boards of education or governing bodies of two or more school districts that are in the process of conducting a feasibility study as of the date of enactment of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
3. (New section) a. The boards of education or governing bodies of two or more school districts seeking to form a limited purpose or all purpose regional district and that wish to apply for funding under the grant program established pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall jointly submit an application to the division. The application shall identify and designate at least one project coordinator from one or more participating districts who shall be responsible for overseeing the activities associated with conducting the feasibility study proposed under the application and for fulfilling any requirements prescribed by the division in the receipt of a grant under the program. The application shall also include:
(1) copies of the resolutions adopted by all participating boards of education or governing bodies, as applicable, certifying a commitment to participate in a feasibility study. An application may propose a feasibility study that would include an analysis of the inclusion of non-participating districts in a proposed regional district, in which case the application shall state that the feasibility study will present findings and recommendations related both to the consolidation of participating districts into a regional district and alternative findings and recommendations contingent upon the inclusion of the non-participating districts;
(2) a detailed narrative describing the proposed regionalization plan or plans to be studied, as well as potential areas for educational and fiscal improvement. The feasibility study shall include, but need not be limited to, options to address issues related to:
(a) facility utilization;
(b) cost sharing and methods of apportionment, including but not limited to, equalized valuation, pupil enrollment, or a combination of the two as well as whether such apportionment should take effect immediately or on a phase-in or transitional basis over a certain number of years;
(c) the allocation of existing school debt and proceeds from the sale of unutilized or underutilized facilities;
(d) projected enrollment trends, including the impact on the demographic breakdown of the student population, including race, ethnicity, and national origin, and projected changes in class size;
(e) current and projected staffing needs and costs, including retirement and attrition trends for instructional, administrative, and support staff;
(f) an analysis of the differences in the salaries and terms and conditions of employment in elementary, middle, and high school teachers , administrators , and support staffs contracts among the various districts, which analysis shall be developed by school districts and the majority representatives of all recognized bargaining units;
(g) State aid and tax revenue projections;
(h) potential cost savings from regionalization;
(i) student seat time and distance traveled, as well as potential increased or reduced transportation costs;
(j) kindergarten through 12 curriculum coordination improvements;
(k) enrichment of educational programs for students; and
(l) calculation and methods of apportionment for determining membership on the regional district board of education among the constituent districts;
(3) a description of the intended use of grant funding in supporting the costs associated with conducting the feasibility st