SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, Nos. 1964, 2036 and 1922

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 8, 1997

      The Senate Education Committee reports favorably a Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill Nos. 1964, 2036 and 1922.

      This committee substitute returns to school districts in the 1997-98 school year the amount of State aid which was deducted from their aid entitlement in the 1996-97 school year. The 1996-97 State aid penalties were based on the individual district's budgeted per pupil administrative spending in the 1995-96 school year. In addition, the bill makes clear that beginning in the 1998-99 school year this additional State aid amount will be included in the district's prebudget year net budget and prebudget year net T&E budget.

      The bill also provides supplemental stabilization aid in the 1997-98 school year to county vocational schools in which the secondary resident enrollment for October 1996 exceeds the resident enrollment projected for October 1997. The aid will equal the amount of the district's aid decline between the 1996-97 and 1997-98 school years up to a maximum amount of $500,000.

      Finally, the bill provides $302,689 in core curriculum standards aid to the Great Meadows Regional School District. This aid was under calculated for the 1997-98 school year because the special education students in the district were not included.

      As reported, this substitute is identical to A-2741 with Assembly committee amendments.