Bill Text: NJ S3790 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Commissioner of Education to study means to accomplish consolidation of certain school districts and to develop master plan to phase out these districts and consolidate them with other districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-20 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee [S3790 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S3790-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Commissioner of Education to study means to accomplish consolidation of certain school districts and to develop master plan to phase out these districts and consolidate them with other districts.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the consolidation of certain school districts.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall conduct a detailed study as to the most efficient and effective means to accomplish the consolidation of school districts that do not have a preschool or kindergarten through grade 12 configuration. In conducting the study the commissioner shall: examine the experiences of other states that have undertaken similar consolidation efforts; determine both the initial costs of implementation of any consolidation proposal and the long-range cost savings that may be realized by the consolidation; and determine the extent to which educational offerings and opportunities will be expanded through the consolidation.
b. Pursuant to the findings and conclusions of the study, the commissioner shall develop a comprehensive master plan to phase out school districts that do not have a preschool or kindergarten through grade 12 configuration and to merge those school districts with other school districts. The plan shall include recommended legislation. Within two years of the effective date of this act, the plan shall be completed and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature.
c. The commissioner shall prepare and transmit to the Governor and the Senate and General Assembly Education Committees annual reports on the commissioner's progress in implementing the provisions of this section.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire 30 days after the Commissioner of Education submits the completed plan to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to subsection b. of section 1 of this act.
STATEMENT
The bill requires the Commissioner of Education to conduct a detailed study as to the most efficient and effective means to accomplish the consolidation of school districts that do not have a preschool or kindergarten through grade 12 configuration. Pursuant to the findings and conclusions of the study, the commissioner will develop a comprehensive master plan to phase out these school districts and merge them with other school districts. The plan must be completed within two years of the effective date of the bill. The commissioner will be required to send an annual report to the Governor and the Senate and General Assembly Education Committees on the progress in conducting the study and developing the plan for consolidation.
