N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:31-2.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 6A:31-2.1 - Renaissance school district's request for proposals

(a) The renaissance school district shall prepare a request for proposals (RFP) for identifying nonprofit entities to partner in a renaissance school project. Additionally, the renaissance school district shall propose a scoring rubric for assessing the RFP responses. The scores determined by applying the rubric shall be used in deciding whether the renaissance school district will undertake any, or up to four, renaissance school project(s) with the applicant nonprofit entities. Both the RFP and the proposed scoring rubric shall be approved by the Commissioner before being issued. One RFP issuance may be used by a renaissance school district to initiate one or more renaissance school projects. A renaissance school district may issue more than one RFP simultaneously or at separate times.

(b) The renaissance school district shall assign the following weights in the scoring rubric used to evaluate a nonprofit entity's RFP response:

1. The following factors shall comprise at least 70 percent of the renaissance school district's RFP scoring rubric:

i. A nonprofit entity's years of experience in school improvement;

ii. A nonprofit entity's record of success in engendering student growth and improving the academic performance of at-risk students, multilingual learners, and students with a disability; and

iii. Evidence of a nonprofit entity's financial stability.

2. Any other factor(s) not prohibited from consideration pursuant to (c) below may comprise no more than 30 percent of the renaissance school district's decision-making process.

3. The renaissance school district may submit, in writing, an alternative RFP scoring rubric to the Commissioner prior to issuing the RFP. The alternative RFP scoring rubric shall include the proposed scoring system and rationale. The school district may not issue the RFP until the Commissioner has approved the revised RFP scoring rubric.

(c) The renaissance school district's RFPs shall not be unduly restrictive of competition, which shall mean the renaissance school district shall not require that a nonprofit entity:

1. Exceed State academic performance standards;

2. Comply with minimum State facilities efficiency standards in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:26, Educational Facilities;

3. Possess more than three years of experience providing educational services;

4. Employ senior internal management or administrative staff with more than three years of relevant experience;

5. Employ non-senior internal management or administrative staff with more than three years of relevant experience;

6. Impose experience requirements for the employment of renaissance school project administrative or instructional staff in excess of State licensure standards in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:9B, State Board of Examiners and Certification;

7. Conform the proposed location of the renaissance school project to a geographic location within the renaissance school district that is smaller than a pre-existing attendance area; or

8. Submit a proposal for a specialized school that is not in accordance with the renaissance school district's current approved Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) district improvement plan pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:30-5.4, unless the school district has obtained the prior authorization of the Commissioner.

(d) The renaissance school district shall abide by the following timelines, unless otherwise authorized by the Commissioner:

1. The renaissance school district's RFPs shall require interested nonprofit entities to respond within 40 business days of the RFP's issuance.

2. The renaissance school district shall accept or reject each submitted proposal within 20 business days of the proposal submission deadline.

3. The renaissance school district shall forward to the Commissioner a summary of its decisions within 25 business days of the proposal submission deadline.

4. The renaissance school district shall inform the community of its intention to enter into a contract (s) based on the RFP response(s) within 25 business days of the proposal submission deadline.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:31-2.1

Administrative change.
See: 46 N.J.R. 1743(a).
Amended by R.2015 d.051, effective 4/6/2015.
See: 46 N.J.R 661(a), 47 N.J.R. 717(a).
Section was "Renaissance school district's responsibilities and authority". Rewrote the section.
Amended by R.2018 d.019, effective 1/16/2018.
See: 49 N.J.R. 2664(a), 50 N.J.R. 324(a).
In (c)6, inserted "project".
Amended by R.2022 d.007, effective 1/3/2022.
See: 53 N.J.R. 1054(a), 54 N.J.R. 40(c).
Inserted "renaissance" throughout; in (a), substituted "entities" for "organizations"; in (b)2, substituted "pursuant to" for "under"; in (c)6, substituted "6A:9B, State Board of Examiners and Certification" for "6A:9, Professional Licensure and Standards"; in (c)7, inserted "project"; in (d)4, deleted "board of education" following "district"; and rewrote (b)1ii and (c)8.

Administrative Change, 56 N.J.R. 890(a) effective 4/22/2024