Welcome to School Board Notes

March 15, 2007 • Vol. XXX • No. 29

Accountability Bill is Signed into Law State Loosens At-Risk Aid Restrictions NJSBA Online Training Answers Tax Cap Questions Willa Spicer Named Deputy Commissioner N.J. Ed Department Restructured New Cost of Ed Study Autism Package End-of-Route Inspections March 27 Voter Registration Deadline Court Upholds Videotaping Voters Reject School Construction Proposal NJSBA Online Resolutions Subcommittee to Meet Labor Relations Consultant Retires NJSBA Training Programs This Month Council Seeks Input on Mandate DOE Launches Web Page for Spanish-Speaking Families Milestone Award Calendar Click here for a pdf version of this issue of School Board Notes	Accountability Bill Is Signed into Law Gov. Jon S. Corzine signed a bill Thursday that will create new training requirements for local school board members.

	State Loosens At-Risk Aid Restrictions The state Department of Education has set limited conditions—generally attached to the federal No Child Left Behind act—under which targeted at-risk aid could be used for property tax relief.

	NJSBA Online Training Answers Tax Cap Questions “Property Tax Relief and School Budgets: Issues and Answers” is now available online.

	State Update: Willa Spicer Named Deputy Commissioner Willa Spicer, executive director of the New Jersey Performance Assessment Alliance, has been named as the state’s new deputy education commissioner. N.J. Ed Department Restructured The state’s Education Commissioner has proposed consolidating divisions within the department to create a more streamlined operation and to provide enhanced services.

	Legislative Update: New Cost of Ed Study The Assembly Education Committee on Monday released a bill directing the Legislative Services Commission to hire a consultant to conduct a comprehensive statewide study to determine the per pupil cost of a thorough and efficient education. Autism Package A seven-bill package addressing autism research and related proposals is moving through several Assembly committees. End-of-Route Inspections On March 12, the Senate gave final legislative approval to a bill that would require school bus drivers to inspect their buses at the end of their routes to ensure that no students have been left on board.

	March 27 Voter Registration Deadline Residents who are not registered to vote have until Tuesday, March 27 if they want to participate in the 2007 Annual School Election.

	Court Upholds Videotaping The New Jersey Supreme court last week upheld the right of a citizen to videotape public meetings.

	Voters Reject School Construction Proposal Voters in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District on Tuesday rejected a school-construction referendum—the only school construction question on a ballot in New Jersey this month.

	NJSBA Online NJSBA’s Web site features the latest news and information that school board members need.

	NJSBA News: Resolutions Subcommittee to Meet In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, notice is hereby provided of a teleconference meeting of the New Jersey School Boards Association Resolutions Subcommittee. Labor Relations Consultant Retires Esther Strassman, a senior consultant in NJSBA’s Labor Relations Department, retired from NJSBA earlier this month after more than 25 years of service.

	NJSBA Training Programs This Month The final two Certified Board Leader (CBL) courses being offered before fall, Presentation Skills and Focusing Your Board on Student Achievement are scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 31 at the Raritan Valley Academy, Middlesex Regional Educational Services Commission in Piscataway.

	Council Seeks Input on Mandate The Council on Local Mandates will decide the constitutionality of a state special education regulation that, five districts contend, constitutes an unfunded mandate.

	DOE Launches Web Page for Spanish-Speaking Families The state Department of Education this month launched a special Web page designed to provide Spanish-speaking families with greater access to information about New Jersey’s education system.

	Milestone Award

	Calendar

	Training Programs and Resources Legislative Conference Browse NJSBA’s Bookstore for the latest publications on school governance. Board Member Academy Programs