A4210

An Act establishing the “School District Shared Services Task Force” to study the utilization of shared services among school districts and to recommend measures for improving shared services for school districts.

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

1. The Legislature finds and declares:

a. With the inevitability of duplication of services among school districts, shared services promote cost efficiency and programming equity; and

b. Shared services allows school districts to offer choice to students and parents, which in many districts, would not otherwise be available due to fiscal restraints; and

c. Despite the State allocating funds to assist municipalities looking to promote and support local shared services and school consolidation studies, there exists limited information regarding how the hundreds of school districts across the State are working with other school districts, municipalities, and counties to provide services to students and parents; and

d. It is therefore necessary, appropriate, and in the public interest for the State of New Jersey to establish a task force that studies how school districts are utilizing shared services and recommends to the Legislature measures for improving the efficiency and delivery of shared services for school districts.

2. a. There is established the “School District Shared Services Task Force.” The purpose of the task force is to study how school districts are utilizing shared services and to develop recommendations that improve the efficiency and delivery of shared services for school districts.

b. The task force shall consist of 9 members as follows:

(1) the Commissioner of Education, or a designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(2) the Commissioner of Community Affairs, or a designee, who shall serve ex officio;

(3) one member appointed by the President of the Senate, one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly, all of whom shall be members of the public with demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the task force; and

(4) three public members, who shall be appointed by the Governor no later than the 30th day after the effective date of this act, as follows: one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Counties, and one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association.

c. Vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenditures incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the task force.

d. The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner’s designee, shall serve as chairperson of the task force. The task force shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members and shall select a vice-chairperson from among its members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the task force.

e. The Department of Education shall provide such stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants, and such professional staff as the task force requires to carry out its work. The task force shall also be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

3. It shall be the duty of the task force to study how school districts are utilizing shared services and to develop recommendations that improve the efficiency and delivery of shared services for school districts. The task force shall study and consider issues including, but not limited to, the following:

a. the current shared services arrangements school districts have with other school districts, municipalities, and counties;

b. the implementation challenges that school districts currently face in attempting to expand the scope and capacity of their shared services;

c. the funding necessary for school districts to use shared services more often and more efficiently;

d. the impact, if any, with improving shared services among school districts and potential consolidation of school districts;

e. recommendations for school districts to adopt and implement to improve the efficiency and delivery of their shared services.

4. a. The task force shall issue a final report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), no later than one year after the task force organizes. The report shall contain the task force’s findings and recommendations for school districts on improving the efficiency and delivery of their shared services.

b. The task force shall expire upon the submission of its final report.

5. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the “School District Shared Services Task Force” to study how school districts are utilizing shared services and to develop recommendations that improve upon the efficiency and delivery of shared services for school districts. The task force will include the following 9 members: the Commissioner of Education; the Commissioner of Community Affairs; one public member appointed by the President of the Senate; one public member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one public member appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; one public member appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly; and three members appointed by the Governor including one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Counties, and one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association.

The task force will study and consider issues including, but not limited to:

– the current shared services arrangements school districts have with other school districts, municipalities, and counties;

– the implementation challenges that school districts currently face in attempting to expand the scope and capacity of their shared services;

– the funding necessary for school districts to use shared services more often and more efficiently;

– the impact, if any, with improving shared services among school districts and potential consolidation of school districts;

– recommendations for school districts to adopt and implement to improve the efficiency and delivery of their shared services.

The task force is required to issue a final report to the Governor and the Legislature within one year of its organization, which contains the task force’s findings and recommendations regarding school districts improving the efficiency and delivery of their shared services. The task force would expire upon the submission of this report.