Sponsored by:
Assemblyman DOMENICK DICICCO, JR.
District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman DAVID P. RIBLE
District 11 (Monmouth)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Angelini, Assemblyman Thompson, Assemblywoman Vandervalk and Assemblyman Chiusano
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes Commissioner of Education to withhold State aid to school district that fails to address repeat audit findings.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning audit findings in school districts and supplementing chapter 23 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section, "repeat audit finding" means an audit finding included in the schedule of prior year audit findings in a school district's annual audit conducted pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.18A:23-1 and , according to the current status, the audit finding still exists.
b. Within 30 days of receipt of a comprehensive annual financial report that has identified a repeat audit finding, a school district shall submit a corrective action plan to the executive county superintendent of schools or State monitor appointed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2006, c.15 (C.18A:7A-55), as applicable. The corrective action plan shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
(1) identification of any factor that caused the repeat audit finding;
(2) corrective actions that have been taken or will be taken, including the date that the action was taken or will be taken; and
(3) a listing of school district personnel who will be responsible for the implementation of the corrective action plan.
c. Pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.18A:55-2, the Commissioner of Education shall have the authority to withhold State school aid payable to a school district which fails to develop or implement a corrective action plan required pursuant to subsection b. of this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1 of P.L.2008, c.36 (C.18A:6-9.1) or any other section of law to the contrary, a school district may appeal the withholding of State school aid pursuant to this section to the State Board of Education.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill authorizes the Commissioner of Education to withhold State school aid from a school district that fails to properly address repeat audit findings. Currently, school districts are required to include a schedule of prior year audit findings in the annual audit conducted pursuant to N.J.S.18A:23-1. This schedule includes information on the current status of the audit finding.
The bill specifies that if a prior audit finding has not been resolved, the school district must submit a corrective action plan to the executive county superintendent of schools or State monitor, as applicable, within 30 days of receiving the comprehensive annual financial report. The commissioner may withhold State aid payable to the district if the district fails to submit or implement the plan. The district would be authorized to appeal any such withholding to the State Board of Education.