Education and Business Leaders Present a Call to Action for Testing Reform
New Jersey should move immediately to significantly change its current approach to educational assessment, testing and evaluation. That was the core message from a new alliance of New Jersey’s major education organizations, including NJSBA, and prominent business leaders which last week presented A Call to Action for Assessment Reform to Governor James E. McGreevey and Education Commissioner William L. Librera. Get the full story.
photo Commissioner Librera
Representatives from the Coalition for Responsible Educational Assessment, Testing and Evaluation(CREATE) and the Business Coalition for Educational Excellence (BCEE) held a news conference last week at the Statehouse to present their recommendations for testing reform. Pictured at the conference are (left to right) Governor James E. McGreevey; Education Commissioner William L. Librera; Arthur F. Ryan, chairman and CEO of Purdential Financial, Inc., and chairman of the Executive Committee for BCEE; and JoAnn D. Bartoletti executive director of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association and chairperson of CREATE.
photo Lee Dear NJSBA Member,

An Early Retirement Incentive Program will be part of Governor McGreevey’s budget strategy for the coming year.

Although the governor’s plan would apply only to state workers and employees of state colleges and universities, several legislators have introduced bills that would offer school districts the option to participate in an early retirement program. If such legislation passes, districts would have to make an important decision within a very short period of time. In fact, most of the pending legislative proposals would require school boards to decide by July 1 whether to participate in the early retirement program. Get the full message.
New Features on NJSBA Website
School Law Reporter The spring 2002 edition of School Law Reporter is now on the NJSBA Web site. Click here for a copy School Law Reporter.
    The School Law Reporter provides a periodic, in-depth review of selected education law topics. The subjects addressed in the spring 2002 edition include subcontracting for educational services, employee compensation during military leaves of absence, and the new law pertaining to public records. Get the full story.
NJSBA Emergency Resolutions Subcommittee
In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, notice is hereby provided of a meeting of the NJSBA Emergency Resolutions Subcommittee to consider an emergency resolution for the agenda of the Annual Delegate Assembly on May 18.
    The NJSBA Executive Committee is considering an emergency resolution for consideration by the delegates of a policy applicable to any constitutional convention proposal that would affect funding of public education. The meeting will be held by conference telephone call originating at the NJSBA Trenton headquarters on May 13 at 4 p.m. For further information, contact Pat Bates at 609-278-5249 or pbates@njsba.org.
conference notes
Lehigh University’s 30th Education Law Conference will be held on May 10 on the university’s Mountaintop Campus. The title of this year’s conference is "Special Education Law: Twists and Churns" and will include sessions on:
  • Due process hearings;
  • The rights and responsibilities of regular educators;
  • Section 1983 liability and jury trials;
  • Preschool and early intervention issues;
  • Low incidence and emerging disability classifications;
  • Services to non-public students;
  • Athletics and other extra-curricular issues;
  • The autism case law; and
  • Legally defensible IEP’s.

Presenters will include Nathanya Simon, Esq. of Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein, Celso and Kessler; Monica Peck, Esq., Schenck, Price, Smith and King; Elizabeth Farley Murphy, Esq., Wilentz, Goldman and Spitzer; Mike Kaelber, Esq., New Jersey School Boards Association; Linda McKay, Esq., Pennsylvania Department of Education; and Perry Zirkel, Lehigh University.
   For further information, contact Lisa Collins from Lehigh University at lic4@lehigh.edu or 610-758-3234.

book of the month
Focus On: The Open Public Meetings Act is an essential resource that every board of education should have in its office. The act, also known as the Sunshine Law, requires that the public and the media have advance notice of, and the right to attend, all meetings of public bodies, except in certain specified circumstances where the public interest or individual rights would be jeopardized. Failure to comply with the act may result in voiding of the board’s actions, personal liability for individual board members, or court rulings mandating compliance with the law.
    Focus On: The Open Public Meetings Act addresses court decisions interpreting the act as it pertains to boards of education and other public bodies, as well as pertinent decisions of the commissioner of education. Also included are administrative guidelines and sample forms for boards to use as a reference when preparing annual or special meetings and Rice notices. While the booklet is not legal advice, it attempts to give board members, administrators, and board attorneys analyses of many of the issues arising under the act.
To order this publication, contact Maryann Wolverton at 1-888-886-5722, ext. 5209 or mwolverton@njsba.org, or click here to order online.
calendar
MAY 6
General Membership Meeting (Mercer), Katmandu, Waterfront Park, Trenton, 6:30 p.m.
3 “Rs” for New Board Members& Board Presidents Meeting (Passaic), Passaic County Technical Institute Wayne, 6 p.m.
MAY 7
Spring Dinner Meeting (Cape May), Lobster House, Cape May, 6 p.m.
MAY 8-10
NJASBO Annual Spring Conference Atlantic City, New Jersey
3 “Rs” for New Board Members (Middlesex), Edison Board of Education Office Edison, 7:00 p.m.
MAY 9
Northern Region Delegates Orientation, Parsippany High School, Parsippany,
7:00 p.m.
MAY 10
NJSBA Urban Boards Spring Dinner Meeting, Ramada Inn and National Conference Center, East Windsor,
6:30 p.m.
Spring Dinner & Student Recognition (Gloucester), Masso’s Crystal Manor, Glassboro 6:00 p.m.
Spring Dinner Meeting (Sussex),Lafayette House, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m.
For more information, visit county school boards association activities.
mail
NJSBA has been hearing from its members regarding delays in the delivery of School Board Notes. We are currently working with the post office to determine why these delays are occurring. If you are experiencing mail delivery problems, please contact Michael Melando at 609-278-5259 or via e-mail at mmelando@njsba.org.
    As a reminder, School Board Notes is also posted each week on our Web site.