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S 4260

Establishes pilot program in certain counties to provide funding for nonpublic school nursing services through county consortium of nonpublic schools.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Gordon Johnson and 1 co-sponsor

Creates a three-year pilot in a large New Jersey county to deliver mandated nonpublic school nursing services through a county consortium funded by state aid-equivalent amounts.

Reported from Senate Committee, 2nd Reading
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Bill Summary · S 4260

Overview

Senate Bill S-4260 (2026) from New Jersey establishes a three-year pilot program in an eligible county to fund and deliver nursing services for students in nonpublic schools through a county consortium. The program is designed to allow nonpublic schools to obtain required school nursing services via a county-based consortium, funded by state aid disbursed through a partnership with boards of education.

Purpose and intent

  • Create a pilot program to provide certified nursing services to students in nonpublic schools through a county consortium.
  • Test the feasibility and effectiveness of shifting nonpublic school nursing service delivery from local boards of education to a county-level consortium, funded by state aid-equivalent amounts.
  • Inform potential statewide expansion after evaluative reporting.

Key provisions and changes

  • Eligible county and pilot scope

    • An “eligible county” is a first-class county with a population over 950,000 (per latest federal decennial census).
    • Establish a three-year nonpublic school nursing services pilot in the eligible county, enabling a county consortium to provide nursing services to participating nonpublic schools.

  • Funding mechanism

    • For participating nonpublic schools, the county consortium receives an amount from the board of education equal to the amount of State aid paid to a school district for nonpublic nursing services (P.L.1991, c.226, C.18A:40-31) or equivalent nonpublic nursing services aid in the annual appropriations act.
    • The board of education disburses this funding to the county consortium for nursing services provided to students in participating nonpublic schools.

  • Participation and operations

    • Nonpublic schools must notify the commissioner, the county consortium’s governing body, and the school districts in which the school is located of their intent to participate no later than June 1 of the preceding school year.
    • To participate, the consortium must provide assurances to the Commissioner of Education that it can fulfill its nursing services responsibilities under the pilot program.
    • The Commissioner must publish a notice on the Department of Education website describing the pilot and the consortium’s responsibilities.

  • Oversight, accountability, and evaluation

    • The consortium must annually contract with an independent entity to audit the pilot’s implementation.
    • The prior year’s audit must be submitted to the Commissioner by October 1 each year, with a copy transmitted to the Governor and the Legislature.
    • Two years after pilot establishment, the Commissioner must report to the Governor and Legislature on whether to continue and potentially expand the program statewide.

  • Administrative rules

    • The State Board of Education is authorized to promulgate rules under the Administrative Procedure Act to effectuate the provisions of the act.

  • Effective date

    • The act takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Who and what is affected

  • Nonpublic school students in participating nonpublic schools located in the eligible county who require school nursing services.
  • Nonpublic schools that elect to participate in the pilot program.
  • County consortiums formed to deliver nursing services under the pilot.
  • Boards of education that would previously fund and coordinate nonpublic school nursing services (financing flows to the county consortium rather than directly to schools in this pilot).
  • The Commissioner of Education, the Governor, and the Legislature through required audits and reports.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Notification deadline for schools to express participation: June 1 of the preceding school year.
  • Annual reporting: independent audit due October 1 each year; audit copies to Governor and Legislature.
  • Evaluation timeline: two years after pilot start, Commissioner provides a recommendation on continuation and potential statewide expansion.
  • Regulatory framework: requisite rules to be issued by the State Board of Education under the Administrative Procedure Act.
  • Funding timeline: annual disbursement from boards of education to the county consortium aligned with existing nonpublic nursing services aid levels.

Summary

S-4260 creates a targeted, three-year pilot in a large, densely populated New Jersey county to deliver mandated school nursing services to nonpublic school students via a county-level consortium, funded by state aid-equivalent amounts paid to school districts. It introduces participation processes, auditing and accountability measures, and a procedural path for potential statewide expansion based on evaluative outcomes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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