NEW JERSEY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION

EDUCATION SERVICES:RESIDENCY PROGRAM: NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OFFERS THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM AS THE CAPSTONE LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT WILL RESULT IN ATTAINMENT OF THE STANDARD SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFICATE.HISTORY: IN THE FALL OF 2012, NJASA APPEALED TO THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE) TO MAKE REVISIONS TO THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM THAT WOULD IMPROVE OUR PRACTICE, ENHANCE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ADDRESS THE INADEQUACIES OF THE PREVIOUS RESIDENCY PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN NEW JERSEY. DOE AND NJASA CONDUCTED FOCUS GROUPS OF RECENT RESIDENTS TO IDENTIFY ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT. ADDITIONALLY, NJASA SURVEYED AASA AFFILIATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ABOUT THEIR POLICIES AND PRACTICE.DOE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, SOLICITING PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AGENCIES AND UNIVERSITIES TO ADMINISTER THE NJSARP(NEW JERSEY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS RESIDENCY PROGRAM) ON BEHALF OF THE STATE. DESPITE NUMEROUS APPLICATIONS, THE NJASA WAS NAMED AS THE SOLE PROVIDER FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. THE CURRENT PROGRAM REFLECTS THE FRAMEWORK AND DESIGN REQUIRED BY THE DOE, AS WELL AS BY RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICE.THE NJSARP IS A HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED AND PERSONALIZED DESIGN, BASED ON THREE INTERRELATED COMPONENTS:MENTOR SUPPORTNEW SUPERINTENDENTS' ACADEMY (NSA), A SYSTEM OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCES FOCUSED ON THE COMMON NEEDS AND INTERESTS OF FIRST TIME SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERS. NETWORKS OF PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT, BUILDING UPON THE FOUNDATION OF COHORT RELATIONSHIPS AMONG RESIDENTS AND MENTOR, AND MANY NETWORKS OF PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES:IN ADDITION TO OFFERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CONFERENCES AND PUBLICATIONS TO MEMBERSHIP, NJASA/NJSAERF MEMBERSHIP OFFERS:LEGISLATIVE SERVICES: NJASA/NJSAERF PROVIDES A UNIFIED VOICE FOR MEMBERS ON ISSUES AFFECTING FUNDING AND THE DAILY OPERATIONS FOR NEW JERSEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.THE ASSOCIATION VIGOROUSLY AND PROACTIVELY REPRESENTS MEMBERS' INTERESTS BEFORE THE NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE, NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATION, AND WHEN NECESSARY THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.THE ASSOCIATION REVIEWS LEGISLATION IMPACTING EDUCATION AND REPRESENTS MEMBERS' INTEREST BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE.LEGAL SERVICES: THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT KEEPS MEMBERS ADVISED OF NEW CHANGES IN THE LAWS, NEW CASE LAW INTERPRETATIONS OF EXISTING LAWS AND NEW POLICY SUGGESTIONS TO ARTICULATE AND IMPLEMENT COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL GUIDELINES AND MANDATES. IN ADDITION TO INFORMATION AND LEGAL COUNSEL, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT PROVIDES DIRECT LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO PROTECT MEMBER RIGHTS IN SITUATIONS SUCH AS TENURE CHARGES, SALARY INCREMENT WITHHOLDING, IMPROPER DEMOTION AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT RELATED CONTROVERSIES THAT MAY BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION.