S754

An Act concerning security aid for nonpublic school students and supplementing chapter 58 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Secure Schools for All Children Act.”

2. As used in this act:

"Nonpublic school" means an elementary or secondary school within the State, other than a public school, offering education for grades kindergarten through 12, or any combination of them, wherein any child may legally fulfill compulsory school attendance requirements and which complies with the requirements of Title VI of the "Civil Rights Act of 1964," Pub.L.88-352, (42 U.S.C. s.2000d et seq.).

"Support limit" means the maximum amount which may be appropriated each year for the purposes of this act for each student enrolled full-time in nonpublic schools of the State.

3. A board of education of a school district in which a nonpublic school is located shall within the limit of funds appropriated or otherwise made available, adopt policies and procedures to provide the students who are enrolled full-time in the nonpublic school with security services, equipment, or technology to help ensure a safe and secure school environment.

4. a. The superintendent of schools of each school district in which a nonpublic school is located shall confer annually with the chief school administrator of each of the nonpublic schools to:

(1) advise the nonpublic school of the limit of funds available pursuant to this act;

(2) agree upon the security services, equipment, or technology to be provided to the students of the nonpublic school, within the limit of the funds that are available; and

(3) agree on the date when the board of education will meet to approve how the security services, equipment, or technology will be provided to the students of the nonpublic school.

b. In the event that the superintendent of schools and the chief school administrator of the nonpublic school are unable to agree regarding the security services, equipment, or technology to be provided for a safe and secure school environment, the executive county superintendent shall be consulted to determine the security services, equipment, or technology to be provided. The decision of the executive county superintendent shall be final.

5. a. The support limit for the 2015-2016 school year shall be $25. For each school year thereafter the commissioner shall determine the support limit by multiplying the support limit for the previous school year times the sum of 1.0 plus the average annual percentage increase in the consumer price index for the New York and Philadelphia areas during the fiscal year preceding the prebudget year as reported by the United States Department of Labor.

b. On or before November 5 of each year, each board of education shall forward to the Commissioner of Education an estimate of the cost of providing, during the next school year, the security services, equipment, or technology required pursuant to this act and the number of students attending nonpublic schools located within the district as of the last school day of October of the current school year. The commissioner shall provide State aid to each school district in an amount equal to the number of nonpublic school students within the district identified by the district on or before November 5 multiplied by the State support limit. In the event that the expenditure incurred by any district is less than the amount of State aid received, the district shall refund the unexpended State aid after the completion of the school year, but not later than December 1 of the following school year.

c. If in any year, the amount of State aid appropriated is insufficient to carry out in full the provisions of this act, the commissioner shall apportion that appropriation among the districts in proportion to the State aid each district would have received had the full amount of State aid been appropriated. In any year, no district shall be required to make expenditures for the purposes of this act in excess of the amount of State aid received for these purposes.

6. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the provisions of this act in a manner that comports with the provisions of the State and federal Constitutions, including a list of allowable expenditures for security services, equipment, or technology to ensure a safe and secure school environment for nonpublic school students.

STATEMENT

This bill is entitled the “Secure Schools for All Children Act.” The bill establishes a State aid program for the provision of security services, equipment, or technology to help ensure a safe and secure school environment for students attending nonpublic schools.

Under the provisions of the bill the superintendent of schools of each school district in which a nonpublic school is located will confer annually with the chief school administrator of the nonpublic school. The superintendent and the chief school administrator will confer in order to agree upon the security services, equipment, or technology that will be provided to the students of the nonpublic school within the limits of available funds. If the superintendent and the chief school administrator are unable to agree on the security services, equipment, or technology, then the executive county superintendent will make the final determination.

Beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, the maximum amount or State support limit which may be appropriated for the purposes of the bill is $25 per nonpublic school student. This amount will be increased each school year by the consumer price index. Each year the school district will forward to the Commissioner of Education an estimate of the cost of providing, during the next school year, the security services, equipment, or technology required pursuant to the bill and the number for students attending the nonpublic school located within the district as of the last school day of October of the current school year. The commissioner will provide State aid to the district in an amount equal to the number of nonpublic school students multiplied by the State support limit.

The State Board of Education is required to promulgate rules to effectuate the bill’s provisions in a manner that comports with the provisions of the State and federal Constitutions. The rules to be promulgated will include a list of allowable expenditures for the security services, equipment, and technology to help ensure a safe and secure school environment for nonpublic school students.