NJASA LegislativeCommittee Meeting

April 9, 2014

(Edison Twp Board of Education, Edison, NJ)

MEETING MINUTES

1:00 p.m.

Attendees:

Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey (27th Legislative District), Lindy Wilson (Education Policy Advisor), Dr. Richard O’Malley (Legislative Comm. Chair, Edison/Middlesex), Ms. Melanie Schulz (Dir. of Governmental Relations), Dr. Richard Bozza (Executive Director), Mr. Michael Jordan (Maywood/Bergen), Dr. Michael Gorman (Pemberton Twp/Burlington), Dr. Kenneth Koczur (Pemberton/Camden), Mr. Christopher Rooney (Monmouth-Ocean E.S.C./Monmouth), Dr. Christine Van Woert (Chester/Morris), Dr. Alex Anemone (Harding Twp/Morris), Ms. Shari Payson (Oldsman Twp/Salem), Dr. Chrys Harttraft (Somerset Co. Voc Tech/Somerset), Dr. G. Kennedy Greene (Newton/Sussex), Ms. Judith Ann Rattner (Berkeley Hgts/Union), Dr. Brian D. Fogleson (North Warren Reg./Warren), Ms. Delores McCray (Recorder).

Proceedings:

Meeting called to order at 1:00 p.m. by Dr. Richard O’Malley.

Introduction of Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey:

- Ms. Schulz introduced the Assemblywoman and highlighted her work in the legislature emphasizing her ability to work with others and team building skills.

Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey:

- Assemblywoman Jasey was pleased to have representatives from areas throughout the state, and stressed that people need to know who their legislators are. In regard to the superintendent salary cap, she said the cap has to go because it would give districts more flexibility, and that in 1992 when superintendents lost tenure, the state created the current situation of superintendents having their salaries capped.

The Assemblywoman made several suggestionsthat could be usefulto thecommittee:

-The need for data on how many superintendents have been lost to the State or left since salary caps were introduced and where they have gone.

-To not assume that your legislator knows what the salary cap/administrative caps are and/or what other administrative costs are folded into that cost and how this “cap in a cap” affects your ability to do the work that has been mandated.

-To not merely raise issues to complain about them, but also offer solutions to the problems you’re presenting.

-Most legislators work other jobs and don’t get a lot of time in Trenton to talk about problems/new policy, so most issues are discussed during committees in a very limited time frame. This constrains the ability for a legislator to be as knowledgeable as he/she should be and they rely on each other’s expertise in the various subject areas.

-The Assemblywoman and several other legislators (both Democrat and Republican) are interested in rewriting the Charter School legislation. The goal is to set some parameters with conditions for charter schools. Work needs to be done on what role charter schools should be playing and how politicized and polarizing they have become.

-Both administrative cap and salary cap bills are likely to come up at the same time, and it will be important to have bipartisan support of bills, especially because Governor can veto, and the support of Republicans is needed.

-The Assemblywoman pointed out that she serves on several education committees and is a Co-Chair of the Joint Committee for Public Schools which has oversight of public school’s policy.

-Assemblywoman Jasey suggested that there is a need for NJASAto make legislators more aware of the problems with the PARCC testing. Teachers want to do it, but they want to do it well. How do we recruit, train and support teaching staff? We need to talk to staff to give legislators specifics on those needs.

-She also suggested convening a meeting of the Joint Committee on the Public Schools for the specific purpose of advising legislators on the effects of superintendent salary caps/administrative caps, PARCC testing, TEACH NJ; how they affect the work that has been statutorily mandated; the amount of capacity (both human and financial) that is necessary to carry these mandates to fulfillment, etc. The Assemblywoman will work with Ms. Schulz to come up with some possible dates.

Comments/questions raised by attendees:

Dr. Fogelson – the issues with PARCC is how much instructional time it’s going to take away from students/teachers, which could be about a month. There’s also a problem with having to use computers for the tests that are otherwise used for regular classes.

Ms. Rattner – field tests could take 47 days of testing in districts, which we can’t imagine.

Dr. Van Woert – we hired two technical staff to work with students on keyboarding skills because of the tests.

Dr. Greene – emphasis is on evaluation and the law is not going to change; PARCC can be delayed to allow more time to try to implement it next year.

Dr. Bozza – the issue of support on bills has to reach across the aisle if there ever is a chance for the Governor to support. (Former) Commissioner Cerf understood need to pass a bill (lift administrative cap). NJASA collected data, but the response was not great. The NJSBA did a survey, but it was not done well. We have to help legislators understand, we don’t want to make it a public fight, which means working with the sponsors (Diegnan and Ruiz). We have to give control back to local school boards regarding policy and compensation. It is recommended that NJASA members invite your legislator to your district to see parents/community and see how many contacts you have there.

Mr. Jordan – Republicans are not knowledgeable about the details of the problems with PARCC/SGP requirements so they are not able to talk passionately enough on how to defend it.

Dr. Michael Gorman – is in his 3rd pilot year for the PARCC and he feels that his district is in a good position to deliver the assessments. However, were it not for having 3 years to prepare for the testing, he would feel differently. He stated that there is a steep learning curve for this new testing and an experience level needed can only happen over time.

Closing:

- Meeting was adjourned at 3:00p.m. by Dr. Richard O’Malley.