NJ S925

Commissioner of Education must submit a report to the Legislature within 90 days on the designation of SDA (School Development Authority) districts, which currently number 31 and receive 100 percent of State share for school construction costs.

Report must include criteria used to determine socioeconomic status of school districts, current socioeconomic status of each district, and information on social, economic, physical, and fiscal conditions of each SDA district.

Commissioner must compare each SDA district's conditions at the time of designation to current status and determine whether each should maintain its SDA classification.

Report must discuss whether additional school districts should receive SDA designation and provide legislative recommendations on revising the current SDA district list.

Department of Education has not updated District Factor Groups since 2004 or analyzed whether wealthier districts should be removed from SDA classification in favor of needier districts; Hoboken City is cited as an example of significant socioeconomic change since its 1990 classification.