ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

ASSEMBLY, No. 2659

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: MARCH 3, 1997

 

 

      The Assembly Education Committee favorably reports Assembly Bill No. 2659.

      The "Comprehensive Educational Improvement and Financing Act of 1996," P.L.1996, c.138, establishes the category of early childhood program aid to be distributed to school districts with high concentrations of low-income pupils for the purpose of providing full-day kindergarten and preschool classes and other early childhood programs and services. That law allows school districts which receive such aid, but which cannot immediately utilize the aid for the required preschool and full-day kindergarten programs for four and five year olds, to use the aid for other specified purposes during the first four school years following the law's enactment. During this period a school district may place all or a portion of the aid in a capital reserve account to establish facilities necessary for the preschool and full-day kindergarten programs. In addition, a district may use the aid for educationally meritorious programs or for the purpose of constructing new school facilities or enlarging existing school facilities for use by pupils other than those enrolled in early childhood programs, provided the new or enlarged facilities are used for and are adequate to house the planned early childhood programs. This bill would also allow school districts to use the early childhood funds for constructing new school facilities or enlarging existing school facilities for use by pupils other than those enrolled in early childhood programs if the use of the new or enlarged facilities will make space available for the planned early childhood programs in other existing school facilities.