Bill Text: NJ A2163 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires certain financial training for school board members.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-30 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Education Committee [A2163 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A2163-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHEILA Y. OLIVER
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain financial training for school board members.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning training for board of education members and amending P.L.1991, c.393.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1991, c.393 (C.18A:12-33) is amended to read as follows:
13. a. Each newly elected or appointed board member shall complete during the first year of the member's first term a training program to be prepared and offered by the New Jersey School Boards Association, in consultation with the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, and the Department of Education, regarding the skills and knowledge necessary to serve as a local school board member and the financial oversight, accountability, and fiduciary responsibilities of a board member. The training [program] on the necessary skills and knowledge shall include information regarding the school district monitoring system established pursuant to P.L.2005, c.235, the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum, and the five key components of school district effectiveness on which school districts are evaluated under the monitoring system: instruction and program; personnel; fiscal management; operations; and governance. The training on the financial oversight, accountability, and fiduciary responsibilities shall be composed of 12 hours of training and shall include the following components:
(1) school district financial roles and responsibilities including information on the financial stewardship role and fiscal oversight responsibilities of a board of education, the responsibilities and qualifications of school district employees who have a role in the financial oversight of school district operations, and the school district chain of command for properly safeguarding, using, and accounting for school district resources;
(2) school district contracting procedures under the provisions of the "Public School Contracts Law," N.J.S. 18A:18A-1 et seq., and other laws, rules, and regulations concerning contracting and procurement, and the responsibilities of the board of education and the district's purchasing agent under the provisions of law and regulation;
(3) school district revenue sources including the principal sources of school district revenue and the laws, rules, and regulations concerning the disposition of those revenues, the school district budget process, strategies for educating the voters on the budget and obtaining voter approval, and the laws, rules, and regulations in regard to the budget process;
(4) strengthening the fiscal integrity of a school district including the financial management and accounting practices that promote the fiscal integrity of a school district, the indicators of school district financial distress or financial integrity, accurate projection of cash flow, proper execution of budget transfers, the encumbrance process, and the proper management of excess general fund balance and reserve funds;
(5) monitoring school district fiscal fitness including strategies to acquire, assess, and act upon information in regard to district finances and identifying those aspects of financial reports that warrant special attention to ensure the financial integrity of the district;
(6) the school district collective bargaining process and the role of board members in labor negotiations with school district employees; and
(7) common types of fraud, waste, and abuse of school district resources, and actions a board may take to address suspected irregularities.
The board member shall complete a training program on school district governance in each of the subsequent two years of the board member's first term.
b. Within one year after each re-election or re-appointment to the board of education, the board member shall complete an advanced training program to be prepared and offered by the New Jersey School Boards Association. This advanced training program shall include information on relevant changes to New Jersey school law and other information deemed appropriate to enable the board member to serve more effectively.
c. The New Jersey School Boards Association shall examine options for providing training programs to school board members [through alternative methods such as on-line or other distance learning media or] through regional-based training.
d. Within one year after being newly elected or appointed or being re-elected or re-appointed to the board of education, a board member shall complete a training program on harassment, intimidation, and bullying in schools, including a school district's responsibilities under P.L.2002, c.83 (C.18A:37-13 et seq.). A board member shall be required to complete the program only once.
e. Training on harassment, intimidation, and bullying in schools shall be provided by the New Jersey School Boards Association, in consultation with recognized experts in school bullying from a cross section of academia, child advocacy organizations, nonprofit organizations, professional associations, and government agencies.
f. The New Jersey School Boards Association shall annually forward a list to the president of each school board of the members of that board who have not completed the training required pursuant to this section.
(cf: P.L.2010, c.122, s.6)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under current law, a newly elected or appointed member of a board of education is required to complete training during the first year of his term on the skills and knowledge necessary to serve as a school board member. The training is provided by the New Jersey School Boards Association. This bill provides that a member of a board of education will also be required during that first year of his term to complete 12 hours of training on the financial oversight, accountability, and fiduciary responsibilities of a member of a board of education. The bill outlines the components of the required training which will include information on the financial stewardship role and fiscal oversight responsibilities of board members, school district contracting procedures and the responsibilities of board members and district purchasing agents, the school district budget process and sources of district revenues, strategies for monitoring and strengthening the fiscal integrity of a school district, the school district collective bargaining process, and common types of fraud, waste, and abuse of school district resources and actions a board of education may take to address suspected irregularities. The New Jersey School Boards Association will annually provide to the president of each board of education the name of any member of that board who has not completed any of the training required by law.
