S 3614 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Clarifies payments for non-resident students enrolled in renaissance school projects.

This bill clarifies how school districts pay for non-resident students attending "renaissance school projects" in New Jersey. It requires a student's home district (where they live) to pay the nonprofit operator 95% of the district's per-pupil spending, plus specific state funds designated for security, special education, and preschool programs. The payment must be made in 12 equal monthly installments, covering both the base cost and associated categorical aid. This applies only to students not residing in the district where the school is physically located, while resident students' funding remains handled by their local district. The bill does not change academic requirements or eligibility for these school projects.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 19, 2026 Last action Jun 18, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 5 edits

MODERATE

The First Reprint of S3614 makes clarifying amendments to how payments are calculated for non-resident students enrolled in renaissance school projects. It adds a specific statutory reference (section 8 of P.L.2011, c.176) to narrow which enrollment provision triggers the non-resident payment obligation, and tightens the language in subsection (c) to limit district funding obligations to students enrolled 'pursuant to this section.' Previously unnumbered paragraphs were given letter designations (d and e).

Scope change

The bill's scope is narrowed slightly: payment obligations for non-resident students are now explicitly tied to enrollment under a specific statutory provision (section 8), and district funding obligations in subsection (c) are limited to students enrolled 'pursuant to this section' rather than any student residing in the district who happens to be enrolled.

ELIGIBILITY

Subsection (a)(2) now specifies that the non-resident payment obligation applies to students enrolled 'pursuant to section 8 of P.L.2011, c.176 (C.18A:36C-8),' narrowing which enrollment pathway triggers the requirement for a student's home district to pay 95 percent of per pupil expenditure.

Subsection (c) changed from requiring districts to fund 'any students enrolled at the renaissance school project that reside in the district' to 'any students who reside in the district and are enrolled at the renaissance school project pursuant to this section,' limiting the obligation to students enrolled under this specific statutory provision.

FISCAL

The funding calculation reference in subsection (c) was narrowed from 'subsection e. of section 7' to 'paragraph (2) of subsection e. of section 7,' pointing to a more specific formula for calculating the per-pupil amount.

TECHNICAL

Two previously unnumbered paragraphs (Department of Education enrollment system inclusion and dispute resolution procedures) were assigned letter designations as subsections (d) and (e).

The explanatory statement section at the end of the bill was removed, which is standard when a bill advances from introduction to committee report.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors