Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes supplemental appropriation of up to $2 million to provide aid to certain nonpublic schools.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Supplement to the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, P.L.2026, c.27.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The following language provision is added to section 1 of P.L.2026, c.27, the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027:
34 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
30 Educational, Cultural, and Intellectual Development
31 Direct Educational Services and Assistance
STATE AID
In addition to the amounts hereinabove appropriated for Nonpublic School Aid and subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting, there is appropriated an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 to provide aid to nonpublic schools that did not complete the Nonpublic School Enrollment Report for the receipt of Nonpublic Textbook Aid, Nonpublic Nursing Services Aid, Nonpublic Security Aid, and Nonpublic Technology Initiative aid in fiscal year 2027. Aid pursuant to this paragraph shall be: (1) provided on a first-come, first-serve basis pursuant to an application process to be developed by the Commissioner of Education; (2) made available until the additional amounts authorized pursuant to this paragraph have been fully expended; and (3) based on the applicable student enrollment information, and the applicable per pupil amounts, as provided in this act for Nonpublic Textbook Aid, Nonpublic Nursing Services Aid, Nonpublic Security Aid, and Nonpublic Technology Initiative.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill inserts language into the fiscal year 2027 appropriations act to provide authority for a supplemental appropriation of up to $2 million to provide nonpublic school aid to certain nonpublic schools that did not complete the Nonpublic School Enrollment Report in the fall of 2025.
Generally, State aid to support nonpublic school nursing, security, technology, and textbook services is calculated based on the number of nonpublic school students reported in the prior school year and certain per pupil amounts that are annually determined in the annual appropriations act. The number of students is reported through the Nonpublic School Enrollment Report. For State aid in fiscal year 2027, a nonpublic school was required to have completed the report at some point in the fall of calendar year 2025. However, certain nonpublic schools did not complete the required report, and, as a result, did not receive aid to support the various services in fiscal year 2027.
This bill would insert a new language provision into the fiscal year 2027 appropriations act to provide supplemental appropriations authority of up to $2 million to provide aid for those nonpublic schools that did not submit enrollment information in the fall of 2025. Aid under the bill would be: (1) provided on a first-come, first-serve basis pursuant to an application process to be developed by the Commissioner of Education; (2) made available until the additional aid authorized by the bill is fully exhausted; and (3) based on the applicable student enrollment information, and the applicable per pupil amounts, that are provided for Nonpublic Textbook Aid, Nonpublic Nursing Services Aid, Nonpublic Security Aid, and Nonpublic Technology Initiative.