§ 18A:7F-54 — Access to full-day preschool; calculation of preschool education aid.

12. a. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2025, c.100) (1) In the case of a school district that received preschool education aid in the 2024-2025 school year, preschool education aid shall be calculated as follows: Aid = (IDE x IDA) + (PRE x PRA) + (HSE x HSA) where IDE is the projected FTE enrollment for the upcoming school year of district pupils, other than preschool disabled pupils, in an in-district preschool program; IDA is the per pupil aid amount for an in-district preschool program; PRE is the projected FTE enrollment for the upcoming school year of district pupils, other than preschool disabled pupils, in a preschool program operated by a licensed child care provider; PRA is the per pupil aid amount for a preschool program operated by a licensed child care provider; HSE is the projected FTE enrollment for the upcoming school year of district pupils, other than preschool disabled pupils, in a Head Start Program; and HSA is the per pupil aid amount for a Head Start Program. (2) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2025, c.100) b. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2025, c.100) c. (1) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2025, c.100) (2) In the case of a school district that received Early Launch to Learning Initiative aid in the 2007-2008 school year, the school district shall receive preschool education aid calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section pending a determination by the commissioner that the district is prepared to meet all program requirements for high-quality preschool pursuant to regulations adopted by the commissioner. (3) In the case of a school district that received early childhood program aid in the 2007-2008 school year but did not receive preschool expansion aid or education opportunity aid in that year, the school district shall receive preschool education aid calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section pending a determination by the commissioner that the district is prepared to meet all program requirements for high-quality preschool pursuant to regulations adopted by the commissioner. (4) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2025, c.100) d. For the 2008-2009 school year, the preschool per pupil aid amounts shall be $11,506 for pupils enrolled in an in-district program, $12,934 for pupils enrolled in a licensed child care provider program, and $7,146 for pupils enrolled in a Head Start Program. The preschool per pupil aid amounts shall be adjusted by the CPI in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years as required pursuant to subsection b. of section 4 of this act. For subsequent school years, the preschool per pupil aid amounts shall be established in the Educational Adequacy Report, with the amounts adjusted by the CPI for each of the two school years following the first school year to which the report is applicable. e. A district shall appropriate preschool education aid in a special revenue fund for expenditure. In the event that any preschool education aid is not expended during the budget year, the aid may be carried forward in accordance with regulations adopted by the commissioner. f. In the event that a district has fully implemented a full-day preschool program for three- and four-year old pupils and meets the preschool quality standards or has provided preschool education to the number of eligible students to be served during a school year in accordance with the preschool quality standards, the district may appropriate preschool education aid for additional purposes that may be designated by the commissioner, which purposes shall include, but not be limited to, providing summer programming for preschool students, professional development for preschool staff, preschool facilities improvements, and transportation services for preschool pupils. g. A school district shall maintain the preschool quality standards as adopted by the commissioner as a condition of receipt of preschool education aid. h. In the case of a school district that first receives preschool education aid in the 2025-2026, 2026-2027, or 2027-2028 school years, the aid shall be provided, within the limit of available appropriations, pursuant to a three-year pilot program established by the commissioner that includes a cost-sharing methodology between the State and the school district such that the amount of preschool education aid allocated to the district shall be calculated by multiplying the district aid percentage by the amount calculated pursuant to the formula in paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section, where the district aid percentage shall be equal to the greater of the district aid percentage as defined pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-3) or 40 percent of eligible costs. i. A school district receiving preschool education aid shall obtain approval by the Commissioner of Education, in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, prior to implementing any significant redistribution, as defined by the commissioner, of State-funded preschool seats among district-operated programs, licensed child care providers, and Head Start programs. L.2007, c.260, s.12; amended 2025, c.100, s.5.