An Important Negotiations Reminder to Business Administrators

NJSBA Announces Sale of Northern Field Office

NJSBA Board of Directors to Meet

Audit Questions DOE Oversight

School Violence Edges Up Slightly

Obituary: Wesley Lance, an Author of New Jersey’s Constitution

Obituary: Dr. Boyle, Somerset ESC Superintendent

NJSBA on the Air

Workshop 2007—Ethics Do’s and Don’ts

Calendar

Click here for a pdf version of this issue of School Board Notes

A recent audit has found the New Jersey Department of Education is understaffed and not adequately trained to meet the increased duties that will be required with the state’s new school monitoring system. 

The Legislature ordered the audit to identify deficiencies the department may face in school oversight, including its implementation of the monitoring system, the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC). 

The audit, completed last month by the accounting firm of KPMG, found that the department’s county offices are not fully staffed and procedures for state oversight and monitoring have not been communicated to department employees. 

“The Department has recently undergone a reorganization, which was just beginning at the time of the KPMG evaluation,” said Commissioner of Education Lucille E. Davy, in a letter released with the audit. 

According to Davy, the goal of the reorganization was to revamp and realign the department to address NJQSAC (the new monitoring system), CORE (an effort to promote cost-efficiency in school districts) and NJ SMART (a statewide student database), as well as other major projects.