Sponsored by:
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits reductions in State school aid for certain school districts in 2026-2027 school year.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning State school aid and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There are appropriated from the Property Tax Relief Fund such amounts as are necessary to ensure that total State school aid to a school district meeting the criteria enumerated in subsection b. of this section in the 2026-2027 school year is no less than the amount of total State school aid received in the 2025-2026 school year.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-43 et al.) or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a school district shall receive State school aid in accordance with the provisions of subsection a. of this section if:
(1) the district is proposed to receive a reduction in State school aid in the 2026-2027 school year according to the State aid notices issued in March 2026;
(2) the district is spending below adequacy as calculated pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2018, c.67 (C.18A:7F-70);
(3) the district’s maximum adjusted tax levy increase authority in the 2026-2027 school year pursuant to section 3 and section 4 of P.L.2007, c.62 (C.18A:7F-38 and C.18A:7F-39) is less than the difference between the district’s local share in the 2026-2027 school year calculated pursuant to section 10 of P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-52) and the district’s adjusted tax levy in the 2025-2026 school year; and
(4) the district’s total spending per pupil was less than 85 percent of the Statewide total spending per pupil, as reported in the most recently available Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending.
c. As used in this section, “State school aid” means the sum of a district’s equalization aid, transportation aid, special education categorical aid, security categorical aid, and vocational expansion stabilization aid.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits reductions in State school aid in the 2026-2027 school year for school districts that meet certain criteria. The bill defines State school aid as the sum of a district’s equalization aid, transportation aid, special education aid, security aid, and vocational expansion stabilization aid.
Under the bill, a school district would receive the same amount of State school aid in the 2026-2027 school year as it received in the 2025-2026 school year if:
(1) the district is proposed to receive a reduction in State school aid in the 2026-2027 school year;
(2) the district is spending below adequacy;
(3) the district’s maximum tax levy increase authority in the 2026-2027 school year is less than the difference between the district’s local share in the 2026-2027 school year and the district’s general fund tax levy in the 2025-2026 school year; and
(4) the district’s total spending per pupil was less than 85 percent of the Statewide total spending per pupil, as reported in the most recently available Taxpayers’ Guide to Education Spending.