Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ANDREW ZWICKER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Provides that State pay tax levy portion of charter school funding currently provided by resident school district.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act providing for partial State funding of charter schools and amending P.L.1995, c.426.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 12 of P.L.1995, c.426 (C.18A:36A-12) is amended to read as follows:
12. a. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2007, c.260).
b. (1) The school district of residence shall pay directly to the charter school for each student enrolled in the charter school who resides in the district an amount equal to 90% [of the sum] of the budget year equalization aid per pupil [and the prebudget year general fund tax levy per pupil inflated by the CPI rate most recent to the calculation]. In addition, the school district of residence shall pay directly to the charter school the security categorical aid attributable to the student and a percentage of the district's special education categorical aid equal to the percentage of the district's special education students enrolled in the charter school and, if applicable, 100% of preschool education aid. The district of residence shall also pay directly to the charter school any federal funds attributable to the student.
(2) The State shall pay directly to a charter school for each student enrolled in the charter school an amount equal to 100% of the prebudget year general fund tax levy per pupil for the student's school district of residence, inflated by the CPI rate most recent to the calculation.
c. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2007, c.260).
d. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection b. of this section, in the case of a student who was not included in the district's projected resident enrollment for the school year, the State shall pay 100% of the amount required pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection b. of this section for the first year of the student's enrollment in the charter school.
e. The State shall make payments required pursuant to subsection d. of this section directly to the charter school.
(cf: P.L.2007, c.260, s.58)
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
Under current law, if a student enrolls in a charter school, the district of residence is required to transfer a portion of its tax levy and State aid to the charter school. Under this bill, the State, rather than the school district of residence, would pay an amount equal to 100 percent of the district of residence's prior year tax levy per pupil, inflated by the CPI, to the charter school.