ASSEMBLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2716

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 18, 2015

      The Assembly Education Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2716.

      Under current State Board of Education regulations at N.J.A.C.6A:9B-5.5, if a board of education desires to use an unrecognized position title in the district, the board is required to submit to the executive county superintendent a written request for permission to use the proposed title prior to appointing a candidate.  According to the regulation, the request must include a detailed job description for the proposed title.  This bill would require that the request also include: a list of all positions abolished in the school district in the prior calendar year, or that will be abolished upon the approval of the unrecognized position title, and a detailed job description for each of these positions; and a list of all positions in which there have been layoffs in the district in the prior calendar year, or positions in which there will be layoffs upon the approval of the unrecognized position title, and a detailed job description for each of these positions. In addition, the school district must also include in its request the number of times within the prior three school years that it has submitted a request for permission to use an unrecognized position title.

      If the detailed job description of the proposed unrecognized position title is substantially similar to the detailed job description of an abolished position or a position that will be abolished upon the approval of the unrecognized position title, or a position in which there has been a layoff or in which there will be a layoff upon the approval of the unrecognized position title, the executive county superintendent may not approve the unrecognized position.  In this case the executive county superintendent will be required to forward the request to the Commissioner of Education, and it will be the commissioner’s responsibility to make the final determination on the request.

      As reported by the committee, this bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 4359, which was also reported by the committee on this same date.