SENATE, No. 1471

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

217th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 16, 2016

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires that school district’s request for permission to use unrecognized position title include list of abolished positions and positions in which there have been layoffs and detailed job descriptions for them.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning school district personnel and supplementing chapter 27 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    A school district, in submitting a written request to the executive county superintendent of schools for permission to use an unrecognized position title as required pursuant to State Board of Education regulations, shall include, along with any other information required by the State board: 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.  The school district shall also include in the 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 a position abolished in the prior calendar year or that will be abolished upon the approval of the unrecognized position title, or a position in which there has been a layoff in the prior calendar year 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 title.  In this case the school district’s request shall be forwarded to the Commissioner of Education who shall be responsible for a final determination on the approval or disapproval of the request.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

      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.