Summer School, Background
Check Bills Approved

Legislative committees on Monday approved bills that would allow school districts to charge for summer school, and require criminal background checks of school board members and school volunteers.

The Assembly Education Committee unanimously approved bill A-2794 (Prieto, Quigley, Riley), which allows for districts to charge for summer school. Currently, the state prohibits districts from charging for remedial or advanced summer classes.

The bill would achieve a goal set by NJSBA’s Delegate Assembly on May 15 to secure legislation that would allow school districts to charge for summer programs. The bill, which contains provisions for families who can not afford the fee, is poised for a vote by the full Assembly. Its Senate counterpart, S-1974, will be heard by the Senate Education Committee on June 21.

Board Member Checks The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee released A-444 (Green, Bramnick, Conners, Conaway), which would require school board members to undergo criminal history background checks and would disqualify members convicted of any crime that would disqualify a person from public school employment.

NJSBA has discussed major amendments to the proposal with one of the bill’s prime sponsors, who appears receptive to many of the changes.  The bill has broad bipartisan support.

Changes sought include permitting school districts to pay for the checks rather than placing the cost exclusively on unpaid school board members, extending the requirement to charter school trustees and municipal officials, and also requiring disclosure of previous convictions in nominating petitions and school ethics act reporting forms.

NJSBA was a prime mover behind the original statute requiring criminal background checks of prospective school employees. Based on its belief that students’ health and safety is a paramount responsibility of school boards, it has supported expansion of that statute.  In addition, current Association policy supports disclosure of past criminal convictions by current and prospective school board members.

The amendments sought by NJSBA would make a background check requirement far less burdensome for board members.  A Senate version, S-295, is in the Senate Education Committee.

Volunteer Checks The Assembly Education Committee also released A-1019 (Spencer, Caputo), which calls for criminal background checks of school volunteers.

The committee’s debate focused on the chilling effect the measure could have on volunteer participation, as well as whether the bill should cover one-time volunteers as well as regular volunteers. Before the bill goes to the full Assembly, legislators are expected to add an amendment, at NJSBA’s request, defining which volunteers would be impacted by the measure.

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