School Funding:
Where We Need to Be

The School Funding Reform Act: What We Like, What We Don't Like

It’s School Board Recognition Month in New Jersey

Senate Passes DYFS Notification, Sick Leave Bills

NJSBA Expresses Sympathy Over Loss of Piscataway Board Member

NJ’s Enrollment to Outpace Northeast

Deadlines Set for Webinars, Web-Based Training

NJSBA Board of Directors to Meet

Calendar

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

The state Senate passed a number of key bills Dec. 17, including a bill requiring school districts to notify the Division of Youth and Family Services of long-term student absences.

The bill, A-868, passed the Senate 37-0 and now heads to Gov. Jon Corzine for his signature. The bill seeks to close loopholes in the child welfare system that were exposed by the 2003 case of three Newark children found by police to be abused and neglected for weeks in a basement. The bill says that if a student has an unexcused absence for five consecutive school days, the attendance officer of the district will investigate and notify the superintendent, who must notify DYFS of the absence. The bill also includes procedures to be followed when a child transfers to another district. NJSBA supported the bill with amendments that clarified who is responsible for notifying DYFS.

The Senate also unanimously passed S-548, which allows school districts to voluntarily establish sick leave banks, in which an employee could draw accrued leave donated by other employees. The bill, which now heads to the governor’s desk, calls for the administration of sick leave banks to be handled by a committee of three board representatives and three union representatives. Sick leave banks have been negotiable, although NJSBA’s database indicates only 39 districts offer such programs.

Other legislation passed by the Senate includes A-357/S-351, which would allow counties, municipalities and school districts to join with the state to provide alternative electrical energy systems. The bill defines alternative electrical energy as being produced from solar, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal or biomass technologies. The bill, supported by NJSBA, returns to the Assembly floor.