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Teachers union seeks amendment to limit midyear payment liabilities for sending districts
Summary
NJEA told the committee A4678 should be amended so sending districts are responsible for per‑pupil payments only for students enrolled before the sending district finalizes its budget; KIPP testified in support of the bill and warned against an enrollment cutoff; the committee released the bill unanimously.
Union and charter representatives gave opposing operational views on A4678, a bill intended to clarify which district pays for nonresident students enrolled in Renaissance School projects.
Aaron McClendon, associate director of government relations for the New Jersey Education Association, said the bill's current language could force sending districts to make unplanned midyear payments when students enroll after a district's budget is finalized. He asked the committee to amend the bill so sending districts would be responsible for per‑pupil costs only when students enroll before the sending district's budget is finalized. McClendon said that "it would only take about 4 or 5 transferring students to create about a $100,000 hole in a local district budget" and argued the amendment would reduce midyear fiscal disruptions.
Kyle Rosenkranz, representing KIPP and KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, told the committee that the bill would allow funding to follow students and help schools of choice maintain enrollment stability. Rosenkranz said imposing a cutoff date for billing would create operational burdens and could prevent schools from enrolling students who arrive after an arbitrary deadline.
After testimony the committee voted to release A4678. Members present recorded affirmative votes and the clerk announced the bill was released. Proponents continue to discuss companion bills that would provide districts tools to reserve funds for transferring students.
