N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:23A-15.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 6A:23A-15.3 - Enrollment counts, payment process, and aid adjustments

(a) To enroll in a charter school, the student first shall be registered in the school district in which the student resides. For any student who applies for enrollment in a charter school, the district board of education in which the charter school applicant resides shall process the student's registration for the subsequent school year upon submission of the registration forms. A district board of education shall process in a timely manner all such registrations, including the assessment of residency and the subsequent transfer to the charter school, and shall identify the specific categorical aid for which each student qualifies.

(b) Actual average daily enrollment in a charter school shall not exceed the enrollment as specified in the school's charter and approved by the Commissioner.

(c) A district board of education shall pay, to a charter school, aid the school district receives for categorical programs, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36A-12.b. The aid shall be paid to a charter school in the amount that is attributable to each resident student enrolled in the charter school.

(d) A district board of education that receives preschool education aid for preschool students enrolled in the charter school, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-54, shall pay to a charter school the amount of preschool education aid attributable to each resident student attending the charter school if the charter school is operating a full-day preschool program that has been approved by the Department's Office of Preschool Education.

(e) All categorical aid paid to a charter school by a district board of education shall be accounted for in the general fund of the charter school. Preschool aid is restricted and shall be accounted for in fund 20.

(f) A charter school may apply directly to the Commissioner for aid for high-cost placement for a student with disabilities in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:7F-55.b and c.

(g) A district board of education shall process payment(s) and payment adjustments to a charter school during the school year as follows:

1. The district of residence and non-resident school district(s) shall initiate payments to the charter school based on projected enrollment, as set forth in this section.

2. The school district of residence and non-resident school district(s) shall pay directly to a charter school the local share per pupil at the charter school rate, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36A-12.b, in 12 equal installments starting July 15 and thereafter on the 15th of each month.

3. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36A-12.b, the school district of residence and non-resident school district(s) shall pay directly to the charter school the following aid in 20 equal installments on the 9th and 23rd of every month starting with September 9 and ending with June 23, or as established by the Legislature:

i. The State share per pupil at the charter school rate; and

ii. Categorical aid attributable to the student.

4. The charter school shall submit to the resident school district a listing of all students on roll on October 15 in a format prescribed by the school district for purposes of determining State aid. Pursuant to the guidelines in the school register, the charter school shall also submit to the school district copies of all source documents related to the determination of State aid.

5. During the school year, a charter school board of trustees shall conduct an enrollment count on October 15 and the last day of the school year. A charter school board of trustees shall submit each count in a summary school register for the purposes of determining average daily enrollment.

i. The charter school board of trustees shall submit the summary school register to the Commissioner no later than one week after the two enrollment counts conducted pursuant to (g)5 above.

(1) All aid paid to the charter school by the school district will be adjusted accordingly from projected enrollment to average daily enrollment on October 15 and the adjustment shall be spread evenly over the remaining pay periods in the school year.

(2) A final adjustment shall be calculated at year-end to account for changes in the average daily enrollment from October 15 to the end of the school year.

(3) The Commissioner will issue a report for the end-of-year adjustment to both the charter school and the district of residence and non-resident school district(s) after the final enrollment count. If there is a reduction in aid, the charter school shall pay the full amount to the school district no later than September 30 of the subsequent school year. If there is an increase in aid, the school district shall pay the full amount to the charter school no later than September 30 of the subsequent school year.

(4) A district board of education and a charter school board of trustees may change the payment provisions, as set forth at (g)2, 3, and 4 above, if mutual agreement can be reached on an alternative payment schedule.

(A) Such change in the payment provisions shall be effective only for the stated school year.

(B) Such change in the payment provisions shall require the written approval, through resolutions, of both the charter school board of trustees and the district board of education. The charter school board of trustees and the district board of education shall submit to the Commissioner a copy of its resolution on or before July 1 of the school year in which the payment schedule is effective.

6. If a district board of education falls behind by 15 days in the payment schedule at (g)2, 3, 4, and 5 above, a charter school board of trustees may petition the Commissioner to have the amounts owed to the charter school deducted from the district board of education's State aid and paid directly to the charter school.

7. The Commissioner may adjust the payment schedule based on the effective date of the final granting of the charter or based on significant change in enrollment during the school year.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:23A-15.3

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 1038(a), effective 5/1/2017

Amended by 56 N.J.R. 2141(a), effective 11/4/2024