ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4049

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 11, 2024

      The Assembly Education committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4049.

This bill revises requirements for enrollment counts used to determine State aid to school districts to include a second enrollment count.  The bill stipulates that a school district’s resident enrollment would be equal to the average of both enrollment counts.

     Under current law, school districts are required to report resident enrollment to the Department of Education as of the school day prior to October 16. The bill would require a second enrollment count to be conducted on the school day prior to February 2 of each year. The bill provides that, for the purposes of determining State aid, a district’s resident enrollment would be equal to the average of the enrollment determined by each of the counts conducted.

     Additionally, the bill provides that in the case of students placed in a State facility by the district or the State, enrollment counts would only occur on the last school day prior to October 16 of the prebudget year.