18A:36C-4 Application to create renaissance school district.

4. a. A nonprofit entity, in partnership with the renaissance school district, may submit to the commissioner an application to create a renaissance school project no later than three years following the effective date of P.L.2011, c.176 (C.18A:36C-1 et seq.); except that in the case of a project to be located in a renaissance school district which is in a municipality that is subject to the "Municipal Rehabilitation and Economic Recovery Act," P.L.2002, c.43 (C.52:27BBB-1 et al.), the application must be submitted no later than four years following the effective date of P.L.2011, c.176 (C.18A:36C-1 et seq.). A nonprofit entity seeking to create a renaissance school project shall have experience in operating a school in a high-risk, low-income urban district. In addition, an entity retained by the nonprofit entity for the purpose of financing or constructing the renaissance school project shall also have appropriate experience.

b. The application shall be in a form prescribed by the commissioner, but at a minimum it shall contain the following:

(1) except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, a resolution adopted in a public meeting by the board of education of the renaissance school district in which the renaissance school project will be located certifying the support of the board for the application. In the case of a district under full or partial State intervention with an advisory board of education, the application shall contain evidence that that State district superintendent or superintendent, as applicable, convened at least three public meetings to discuss the merits of the renaissance school project. The evidence shall include, at a minimum, any written public comments received during those meetings. In the case of these districts, the application shall contain a resolution from the advisory board of education reflecting the board's approval or disapproval of the renaissance school project. While a successful application does not require approval from the advisory board of education, the commissioner, in considering the application, shall give due consideration to any disapproval from the advisory board;

(2) a copy of the amendment to the renaissance school district's long-range facilities plan which has been submitted to the commissioner pursuant to section 4 of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-4) that includes the proposed renaissance school project;

(3) the educational goals of the renaissance school project, the curriculum to be offered, and the methods of assessing whether students are meeting the proffered educational goals;

(4) any testing and academic performance standards to be mandated by the renaissance school project beyond those required by State law and regulation;

(5) the admission policy and criteria for evaluating the admission of students to the renaissance school project, which shall comply with the provisions of section 8 of this act;

(6) the age or grade range of students to be enrolled in the renaissance school project;

(7) the total number of students to be enrolled in each grade level of the renaissance school project;

(8) the renaissance school project calendar and school day schedule;

(9) the financial plan for the renaissance school project and the provisions that will be made for auditing pursuant to N.J.S.18A:23-1;

(10) a description of, and address for, the initial school facility in which the renaissance school project will be located and an affirmation that any other school facility or facilities in which the renaissance school project will be located will be in the required urban campus area. For any school facility other than the initial school facility included in the application pursuant to this paragraph, the nonprofit entity shall notify the Commissioner of Education of the location of the facility at least one year prior to the opening of the facility;

(11) documentation that the proposed renaissance school project meets school facility regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education pertaining to the health and safety of the pupils;

(12) documentation of a funding plan to acquire necessary lands and to construct a renaissance school project thereon, including the terms of any financing secured for such purpose;

(13) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2013, c.149)

(14) identification of the attendance area of the renaissance school project, if the renaissance school project will not be built on land owned by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority or the renaissance school district;

(15) a description of the process employed by the renaissance school district to find and partner with the chosen nonprofit entity to create a renaissance school project. The description shall be sufficient to show that the process employed by the renaissance school district was open, fair, and subject to public input and comment. The description shall, at a minimum, include any requests for proposals issued by the renaissance school district, the number of responses received, and the process and criteria employed by the renaissance school district to select the chosen nonprofit entity among the respondents; and

(16) such other information as the commissioner may require.

L.2011, c.176, s.4; amended 2013, c.149, s.2; 2014, c.61, s.2.