NJSBA May 1, 2026, Board of Directors Meeting Highlights

May 1, 2026

The NJSBA Board of Directors met virtually on Friday, May 1, 2026.  President Jacobs presided over the meeting virtually.  Immediate Past President Cortellino and Vice Presidents Walker and Connors, also participated in the meeting virtually.  Executive Director Dr. Timothy J. Purnell provided his report to the board from headquarters.

The Board of Directors approved the following items:

• Award of contract to Suplee, Clooney & Company, LLC to perform an audit of NJSBA financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026
• Open session minutes of the March 27, 2026 Board of Directors meeting
• Legislative Committee Appointments

Executive Director’s Report – Dr. Purnell addressed NJSBA activities, and the progress made in enabling school districts to meet the challenges presented to them ensuring that members continue to benefit from essential training, advocacy, and direct service.

Executive Director’s Goals – Dr. Purnell reviewed the Association’s accomplishments by each department over the past year. His new goals for 2026-2027 remain focused around the three pillars: Content, Connection, and Advocacy.

1. Content – NJSBA will design and deliver a “Labor Summit” to prepare local boards of education for collective bargaining.

2. Connection – NJSBA will connect members with free, value-added resources throughout the year (including tools that incorporate emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence) to enhance board effectiveness and access to information.

3. Advocacy – NJSBA will design, pilot, and deliver at least one “Advocacy Best Practices” program for County VPs of Legislation that strengthens their effectiveness as advocates.

Each priority will be completed by May 2027 and reflect direct feedback from members.

Healthcare Costs – NJSBA has been coalescing with their partners in the LEE Group (New Jersey Leadership for Educational Excellence) to build consensus and a united front in elevating the harmful impact of the rising healthcare costs. The LEE Group submitted a letter to Governor Sherrill and her key staff stressing how dire the situation is and the consequences of these costs, including reductions in staff and cuts to critical student services and programs. NJSBA has drafted a sample resolution that Boards of Education can adopt and send to the governor, treasurer, legislative leadership, and their local representatives that’s modeled on the letter sent to Governor Sherrill by the LEE Group. This is a great opportunity for all to join in NJSBA’s advocacy efforts. More information will be disseminated though School Board Notes.

Delegate Assembly Task Force – The Delegate Assembly Task Force has launched and is well underway. The Task Force is chaired by Immediate Past President, Dr. Karen Cortellino and consists of nine committee members. NJSBA sent out a survey to the membership seeking input about the needs of the Delegate Assembly. Based on those results, three subcommittees were formed, Resolution Submission and Resolution Subcommittee, Parliamentarian and VP for Legislation/Resolutions, Participant Scheduling and Financial Impact. The Task Force will present a report, including findings, results, and recommendations, in the near future.

Spring Training Programs – NJSBA is finishing the year with a full slate of training and programming opportunities.

NJSBA’s Virtual Spring Conference will be held on Friday, May 8 and will offer concurrent training sessions featuring the most requested topics and popular sessions from Workshop 2025.

NJSBA’s Technology Conference will provide school board members, administrators, and district staff with solutions to help promote advanced school technology both in the classroom and district wide. The conference is scheduled for Friday, June 5 at the Conference Center at Mercer.

The Spring School Law Forum will take place on Thursday, June 11. Topics to be covered include case law and legislative updates, attorney ethics, and more.

The Board of Directors also received reports from the president, vice president for county activities, vice president for finance, and immediate past president, and detailed reports from NJSBA staff on advocacy and legislation.

Information items included Association Financials, Legal Case Summary, Executive Director’s 2026-2027 Goals, 2026-2027 Governance Calendar, Delegate Assembly Update, and written reports from Officers.