LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

SENATE, No. 2312

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: January 13, 1998

      Senate Bill No. 2312 of 1997 provides for an alternative program of monitoring and evaluation for school districts at Level I for the purpose of certification pursuant to section 14 of P.L.1975, c.212 (C.18A:7A-14). The alternative program of monitoring and evaluation will be based on a district’s self-assessment according to criteria established pursuant to this act.

      A school district which participates in the alternative program of monitoring and evaluation will be required to monitor and evaluate its own school programs according to criteria established by the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Commission on Business Efficiency of the Public Schools. The criteria will include, but not be limited to, the criteria used in the education eligibility category of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, established pursuant to subsection (a) of section 3 of Pub.L. 100-107 (15 U.S.C. §3711a) and the New Jersey Quality Achievement Award established pursuant to Executive Order No. 47 of 1991, which focus on key requirements for organizational excellence. The criteria will address leadership; information and analysis; strategic and operational planning; human resource development and management; educational and business process management; school performance results; and student focus and stakeholder satisfaction. The bill provides that the Commissioner of Education may eliminate a school district from participation in the alternative program of monitoring and evaluation, if the commissioner deems it to be advisable. The Commissioner of Education will make the alternative program of monitoring and evaluation available to eligible school districts in the 1998-1999 school year.

      There are no new costs associated with permitting a local district to implement self-monitoring and evaluation for the purpose of Level 1 certification. The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) notes that current Level 1 monitoring by the Department of Education entails a desk audit that does not require a school visit. Such audits are based on 10 elements or broad categories including pupil performance and attendance. If a district applies for the self-monitoring program and is exempted from the current desk audit monitoring process, the Department of Education will be responsible for reviewing the results of the self-monitoring conducted by the local district.

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.