Trenton lawmakers have introduced a bill (A-4692) that would change the way in which state aid to local public schools for special education is calculated.
The state currently provides special education aid to school districts, using a census-based method. In this funding model, districts receive funding for special education, based on the assumption that a fixed percent of the total student population (roughly 15%) requires special education services. This bill would eliminate the use of the census-based methodology, and instead would calculate State aid for special education, based on the actual number of special education students included in the district’s resident enrollment.