S 3614 — Clarifies payments for non-resident students enrolled in renaissance school projects.

S3614 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As introduced.reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on June 4, 2026, with amendments.

       1.1.  Section 7 of P.L.2011, c.176 (C.18A:36C-7) is amended to read as follows:

Section     77.  ofa.  P.L.2011,Notwithstanding c.176that (C.18A:36C-7)a isrenaissance amendedschool toproject readshall asbe follows:constructed, controlled, operated, and managed by a nonprofit entity, and not the local board of education, it shall be a public school.

     7.

a.

Notwithstanding that a renaissance school project shall be constructed, controlled, operated, and managed by a nonprofit entity, and not the local board of education, it shall be a public school.

     (2)  For each student enrolled in the renaissance school project who1pursuant to section 8 of P.L.2011, c.176 (C.18A:36C-8)1  who does not reside in the renaissance school district, the student’s school district of residence shall pay to the nonprofit entity in 12 equal monthly installments an amount per pupil equal to 95 percent of the district's per pupil expenditure.  In addition the 12 monthly installments shall include the security categorical aid attributable to the student, a percentage of the district's special education categorical aid equal to the percentage of the district's special education students enrolled in the renaissance school project, and if applicable 100 percent of preschool education aid.  The district shall also pay directly to the renaissance school project any federal funds attributable to the student.

     b.b.  (1)  In the case of a renaissance school project which is not built on land owned by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority or the renaissance school district, preference for enrollment in the renaissance school project shall be given to students who reside in the attendance area identified in the application submitted by the nonprofit entity and approved by the commissioner for the renaissance school project.  In no case may an attendance area include an area outside of the renaissance school district.  If spaces remain available in the renaissance school project, then the renaissance school project may select students for the remaining spaces through a lottery system.  The first lottery shall include students who reside in the renaissance school district but outside the attendance area identified in the application approved by the commissioner for the renaissance school project.  If space remains available, a second lottery shall be conducted that may include students who reside outside of the renaissance school district.

(1) In the case of a renaissance school project which is not built on land owned by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority or the renaissance school district, preference for enrollment in the renaissance school project shall be given to students who reside in the attendance area identified in the application submitted by the nonprofit entity and approved by the commissioner for the renaissance school project.  In no case may an attendance area include an area outside of the renaissance school district.  If spaces remain available in the renaissance school project, then the renaissance school project may select students for the remaining spaces through a lottery system.  The first lottery shall include students who reside in the renaissance school district but outside the attendance area identified in the application approved by the commissioner for the renaissance school project.  If space remains available, a second lottery shall be conducted that may include students who reside outside of the renaissance school district.

A school district other than the renaissance school district shall be required to provide funding to the renaissance school project for any students 1who reside in the district and are1 enrolled at the renaissance school project that1[that reside in the districtdistrict] pursuant to this section1 in an amount calculated pursuant to 1paragraph (2) of1 subsection e.

     1d.1  The Department of Education shall include renaissance school projects in the Charter School Enrollment System for the purpose of calculating and reconciling payments to be made by school districts to renaissance school projects.

     1e.1  In the event of a dispute over a student’s residency status or payments for any student enrolled at the renaissance school project, the Department of Education shall follow any existing rules and procedures used to resolve disputes of the same nature for charter schools.

This This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.

    STATEMENT        This bill clarifies the provision of payments for non-resident students that enroll at a renaissance school project.

     Under current law, the school district in which a renaissance school project is located is required to pay to the nonprofit entity partnering with the renaissance school project a per pupil amount.

 However, current law does not specify whether the amount is to be paid for all students enrolled in the renaissance school project or only students resident in the district.

     The bill clarifies that the school district in which a renaissance school project is located is required to pay the per pupil amount for each student that resides in the district.

For all students enrolled in the renaissance school project that do not reside in the district in which the renaissance school project is located, the student’s school district of residence would be required to pay the per pupil amount to the nonprofit entity.

     The bill also provides that the Department of Education would include renaissance school projects in the Charter School Enrollment System for the purpose of calculating and reconciling payments between school districts and renaissance school projects.

     Finally, the bill directs the department to employ any existing rules and procedures for settling residency and payment disputes for charter schools in the settlement of such disputes for renaissance school projects.