Preview: Nov. 18 Delegate Assembly

NJSBA reminds all school boards that decisions made by each Delegate Assembly are followed by action that often results in the introduction of legislation, the stopping of undesirable legislation, or new state board of education policies.

The Delegate Assembly gives local school boards the opportunity for input before these far-reaching statewide policy decisions are made. Therefore, the Association urges members to review the proposed resolutions so their delegates are familiar with the issues. Policies adopted by the Delegate Assembly are codified in NJSBA’s Manual of Positions and Policies on Education and can be viewed on the NJSBA Web site at www.njsba.org/policy.

Agenda
Resolution No. 1 from Berkeley Township, Ocean County, proposes new policy language. The resolution requests NJSBA to adopt a belief statement that the Legislature should establish financial and educational benchmarks that the state would apply to all school districts in providing state aid. The proposal also specifies that any Abbott district that does not meet the benchmarks should not receive increases in funding until progress is demonstrated.

Resolution No. 2 from the Pennsville Board of Education, Salem County, proposes policy language reflecting a belief that sufficient opportunities exist for board of education members to pursue training and education in the duties and responsibilities of their office on a voluntary basis. The resolution states that a compulsory program of continuing training and education could discourage potential board candidates from seeking office, and that establishing and maintaining such a program would represent a substantial financial burden for New Jersey taxpayers. Further, the resolution proposes that NJSBA oppose legislation that would require the Commissioner of Education to develop and maintain a program for the continuing training and education of school board members and to impose penalties on board members who do not complete the requirement.

Also on the agenda are Bylaws amendments and the sunset review of File Code 3000, Business and Non-instructional Operations, and File Code 4000, Personnel, of NJSBA’s Manual of Positions and Policies on Education.

Notice of Meeting
Notice of the Delegate Assembly was e-mailed and/or faxed to school business administrators and county association presidents on Oct. 13. The notice advised them that local school boards could review the proposed Bylaws amendments, resolutions and background materials, and policies for sunset review by going to NJSBA’s Web site and clicking on “Delegate Assembly.”

In the Mail: DA Handbook
NJSBA has mailed the Delegate Assembly Handbook for the Nov. 18 semi-annual meeting to the homes of local school board delegates, alternate delegates or designees who have been pre-registered to represent their board at the meeting.  For those boards that have not pre-registered their representatives, NJSBA has mailed a copy of the handbook to their respective school board secretaries to forward to the Delegate Assembly member who will represent their board.

The handbooks were sent by first-class mail on Oct. 31.

For more information, contact Barbara Deveney at (888) 886-5722, ext. 5256.

Registration
The Nov. 18 Delegate Assembly will be held at the National Conference Center/Holiday Inn, East Windsor, N.J. Directions are available on NJSBA’s Web site and in the delegates handbook.

To register online, visit www.njsba.org and click the “Get Involved” icon in the left-hand column. Once on the Delegate Assembly page, click the “Online Registration” link on the left side of the page.

Delegates may also be registered by calling Cindy Stanhope toll free at (888) 886-5722, ext. 5254.

If the board’s delegate or alternate is unable to attend, any member of the board may be certified to represent it at the meeting. To be certified, delegates must show documentation on district letterhead that they have been so designated.