Requires executive county superintendent of schools to establish consolidation plan to combine school districts in county into regional school districts.

S 2646 requires New Jersey county superintendents of schools to develop and submit a plan to the state commissioner for consolidating local school districts into regional districts. The plan must eliminate non-county-based school districts (excluding preschool/k-12 districts) and be approved by voters via a special election following commissioner review. Key provisions mandate county superintendents to recommend consolidation based on cost-efficiency standards, review shared services, and disapprove excessive budget items. This directly affects all school districts in counties not already operating as regional systems, requiring them to either consolidate or face potential elimination. The bill is pending in the Senate Education Committee as of its introduction on January 13, 2026.