SENATE RESOLUTION No. 67

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

211th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 27, 2004

Sponsored by:

Senator ROBERT E. LITTELL

District 24 (Sussex, Hunterdon and Morris)

Senator MARTHA W. BARK

District 8 (Burlington)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Palaia, Bucco, Allen, Kavanaugh, Ciesla, Singer, Lance, Martin, Kyrillos and T.Kean

SYNOPSIS

    Urges the Governor and the Commissioner of Education to recommend an appropriation for FY 2005 which would fully fund extraordinary special education aid for public school districts.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

    As introduced.

A Senate Resolution urging the Governor and the Commissioner of Education to fully fund current New Jersey law concerning extraordinary special education aid for public school districts.

Whereas, Between the 1997-98 and 2002-03 school years, total costs for special education in the State increased from $1.5 billion to $2.7 billion, an increase of $1.2 billion, or 75.5 percent; and

Whereas, Between the 1997-98 and 2002-03 school years, State aid for special education increased from $642.4 million to $1 billion, an increase of $358 million, or 57.1 percent; and

Whereas, Between the 1997-98 and 2002-03 school years, the total cost of individual classified pupils in excess of $40,000 increased from $12.9 million to $81.7 million, an increase of $68.8 million; and

Whereas, The Governor's FY 2004 budget proposed an appropriation of $15 million for Extraordinary Special Education Aid and the Legislature acted to appropriate an additional $37 million (a total of $52 million) which is 99.5 percent of the amount that the State, pursuant to P.L.2001, c.356, is required to provide for the cost of individual classified pupils in excess of $40,000; and

Whereas, The Governor's FY 2005 budget proposes an appropriation of $52 million, the same as the FY 2004 appropriation, while the cost of individual classified pupils in excess of $40,000 for the 2003-04 school year is $109.6 million, and the amount of extraordinary special education aid required under P.L.2001, c.356 is $70.2 million; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The Legislature strongly urges the Governor and the Commissioner of Education to recommend upon receipt of this resolution an appropriation for FY 2005 which would fully fund the amount required for extraordinary special education aid under subsection b. of section 19 of the "Comprehensive Educational Improvement and Financing Act of 1996," P.L.1996, c.138 (C.18A:7F-19).

    2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to the Governor and the Commissioner of Education.

STATEMENT

    This Senate Resolution strongly urges the Governor and the Commissioner of Education to recommend upon receipt of this resolution an appropriation for FY 2005 which would fully fund extraordinary special education aid as required under current law.

    Special education costs have increased consistently and at a faster pace than has State aid for special education. This has placed an extra burden on local taxpayers to pick up the difference between State aid and the actual cost of providing services to individual classified students. Under current law, in those instances in which the cost of providing education for an individual classified pupil exceeds $40,000, the State is required to provide additional aid as extraordinary special education aid. For these costs experienced by school districts through the 2004-05 school year, current law requires that State aid be provided for a certain proportion of the costs. For FY 2005, for the extraordinary special education costs experienced in the 2003-04 school year, these costs equal $70.2 million. The Governor's FY 2005 budget recommends an appropriation of $52 million, 74.1 percent of the amount required under current law.