SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2312

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: DECEMBER 1, 1997

      The Senate Education Committee reports favorably Senate

Bill No. 2312.

      This bill 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 the district's continuous process of self-assessment according to criteria established pursuant to this act.

      A school district which participates in the alternative program of monitoring and evaluation will conduct ongoing monitoring and evaluation 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.

      As reported, this bill is identical to A-3011.