SENATE, No. 791
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 15, 1996
By Senator LaROSSA
An Act concerning the appointment of superintendents in Type I school districts, amending N.J.S.18A:17-15 and supplementing chapter 17 of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. N.J.S.18A:17-15 is amended to read as follows:
18A:17-15. The board of education [of a Type I district and] of any Type II district, now having or hereafter authorized to have a superintendent of schools, may, by contract appoint, for a term of not less than three nor more than five years and expiring July 1, a superintendent of schools by the recorded roll call majority vote of the full membership of the board.
A superintendent of schools may be appointed for a like term also in any other Type II district or in any other two or more Type II districts as follows:
Application for the establishment of the office of superintendent of schools for the district or districts shall be made to the county superintendent of the county or the county superintendent of each of the counties in which such district or districts are situate and if said application is agreed to in writing by such county superintendent or county superintendents and shall be approved by the commissioner and the State board, the board of education of such a district so applying may appoint a superintendent of schools for a single district in the manner hereinbefore provided or the commissioner shall appoint, subject to the approval of the State board, a superintendent of schools for two or more districts making such application and the State board shall apportion the expense of maintaining such a superintendent in more than one district equitably between the districts.
(cf: P.L.1991, c.267, s.1)
2. (New section) The superintendent of a Type I school district shall be appointed by the chief executive officer of the municipality constituting the district. An appointee shall be selected from candidates recommended by the school board, and the appointment shall be made with the advice and consent of the governing body. The superintendent shall serve at the pleasure of the chief executive officer or during the chief executive officer's term of office and until a successor is appointed.
3. (New section) The superintendent of a Type I school district shall be the chief executive and administrative officer and shall have general supervision over all aspects, including the fiscal operations and instructional programs, of the schools of the district under rules and regulations prescribed by the State board and shall keep himself informed as to their condition and progress and shall report thereon, from time to time, to, and as directed by, the chief executive officer of the municipality. The superintendent shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the chief executive officer of the municipality.
The superintendent shall have a seat on the board of education and the right to speak on all matters at meetings of the board, but shall have no vote.
4. (New section) The board of education of a Type I school district which has a superintendent shall evaluate the performance of the superintendent at least once a year. Each evaluation shall be in writing and a copy shall be provided to the chief executive officer of the municipality and the superintendent. The chief executive officer, the superintendent and the board shall meet to discuss the findings. The evaluations shall be based upon the goals and objectives of the district, the responsibilities of the superintendent and such other criteria as the State Board of Education shall by regulation prescribe.
5. (New section) This act shall not impair the validity of any contract of employment between a board of education and a superintendent which was entered into prior to the effective date of this amendatory and supplementary act.
6. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides for the appointment of a superintendent of a Type I school district by the chief executive officer of the municipality which constitutes the district. In a Type I school district, the chief executive officer of the municipality also appoints the members of the school board. The appointment of the school superintendent would be made from candidates recommended by the school board and subject to the advice and consent of the governing body. Under the bill, the superintendent would serve at the pleasure of the chief executive officer or during the chief executive officer's term of office and until a successor is appointed. The bill specifies that the superintendent of a Type I school district would be the chief executive and administrative officer with supervisory responsibilities over all aspects of the schools of the districts, including the fiscal operations and instructional programs, and would have other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the chief executive officer of the municipality. In addition, the superintendent would have a seat on the board of education and the right to speak on all matters at meetings of the board, but would not have a vote, a provision which currently applies to all superintendents.
A board of education of a Type I school district which has a superintendent is required to evaluate the performance of the superintendent at least once a year. A copy of the evaluation would be provided to the chief executive officer of the municipality and the superintendent, and the chief executive officer, the superintendent and the board would meet to discuss the findings.
Approval of the bill would not impair the validity of any contract of employment between a board of education and a superintendent which was entered into prior to the effective date of the act.
Provides for appointment of school superintendent in Type I district by chief executive officer of the municipality.