News From The Assembly Democrats DIEGNAN CRAFTING LEGISLATION TO CREATE STANDARD FOR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACTS

NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

920 West State Street � Trenton, New Jersey 08618-5328

609.599.2900 / Fax: 609.599.9359 website: http://njasa.net 
 
 

Press Release

For Immediate Release 
 

Contact Anne H. Gallagher

NJASA Director of Communications

609-599-2900, ext. 126

agallagher@njasa.net 
 

NJASA Supports Senate President Codey’s Efforts 

Trenton, NJ August 25, 2008…….The New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA), representing school leaders throughout the state, expects that New Jersey’s educators earn degrees only from accredited colleges and universities where accepted academic standards have been established and validated.   

NJASA Executive Director Richard Bozza said, “The Association supports the request of Senate President Richard Codey for the Commissioner of Education to review the credentials of school administrators.”   

On behalf of the Association, Bozza added, “NJASA encourages Commissioner Lucille Davy to examine the credentials of all professional employees holding teaching, educational services, and administrative certificates to ensure that the highest standards are being met by professionals serving New Jersey students.” 
 

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This mission of NJASA, the unifying professional society of educational administrators, is to ensure a superior statewide system of education by effecting educational policy, regulations and legislation, and by maximizing the capacity and effectiveness of school leaders through professional development programs and support services. 

CODEY PUSHES DIPLOMA MILL INVESTIGATION FURTHER,

CALLS FOR SUPTS TO RETURN PERKS FOR 'FAKE' DEGREES

     TRENTON -- Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) today called on the state Department of Education (DOE) to conduct a thorough statewide review of all school superintendents and administrators to determine who may have received pay raises and tuition reimbursements because of degrees they received from unaccredited colleges or universities. Taking things a step further, Codey called on any such individuals to return the monetary benefits they may have received at the expense of taxpayers, including salary increases, tuition reimbursement and pension credits based on the higher salary they have been receiving.

     "What this says to students is that the very people who are entrusted with establishing educational rules for course work, diplomas, and academic integrity have lost all legs to stand on as they themselves have cheated the educational system by undermining the legitimate degrees of their colleagues and of course students," said Codey. "This is a 'do as I say, not as I do' policy that the taxpayers are being forced to fund. It's wrong and once we find out exactly who is benefiting from these cash-and-carry diplomas, we'll continue to put pressure on them to return these unearned perks."

     The request was prompted by a string of recent reports about various school superintendents and administrators who have received pay raises and tuition reimbursements for degrees they received from unaccredited online universities, which have become known as "diploma mills" because many award degrees to anyone willing to pay for them.

     As a follow-up to his letter last week asking the DOE to draft new rules barring this practice, Codey sent another letter to Commissioner Lucille Davy today formally requesting the review to determine which administrators are receiving perks based on unaccredited degrees. Also last week, Codey sent a letter to the state Attorney General's Office requesting an investigation into whether the administrators knowingly misrepresented their qualifications to obtain public funds, a crime under a law passed last September.

     "Essentially, these administrators pay a few grand for a degree and then they are entitled to annual pay raises worth up to several thousand dollars, not to mention more pension credits because their salary has been bumped up. What kind of message does that send to the young teacher who may be struggling to juggle work, a family and night classes to earn her master's degree? What kind of incentive do any of our teachers have to continue bettering themselves if they can just go online and buy a degree? The biggest insult is that some of these people insist on being called 'doctor' after they buy their Ph.D. online. That's about the equivalent of Colonel Sanders claiming he has real military experience."

     A full copy of today's letter sent to the DOE is below:

August 25, 2008

Commissioner Lucille E. Davy
NJ Department of Education
P.O. Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625-0500

Dear Commissioner Davy:

     I applaud your efforts to help New Jersey crackdown on the growing problem of educators using degrees from unaccredited online universities to receive pay raises and other perks. In the interest of maintaining New Jersey's high educational standards and protecting taxpayer dollars, it's imperative that we do all we can to end this practice before it becomes even more commonplace.

     At this time, I am requesting that the New Jersey Department of Education conduct a thorough statewide review to determine which school superintendents and administrators have obtained degrees from unaccredited colleges or universities and subsequently received salary perks or tuition reimbursement as a result.

     It is my firm belief that each and every individual determined to have done so, should return whatever perks they have received, be it salary increases, tuition reimbursement or pension credits based on their salary increase. Not only is it a disservice to the hardworking teachers and administrators who put in many long hours completing coursework at accredited schools, but it's a further insult to our students who deserve leaders who understand the value of hard work and a legitimate education.

     Your continued cooperation on this matter is appreciated.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Codey
Senate President

News From The Assembly Democrats

DIEGNAN CRAFTING LEGISLATION TO CREATE

STANDARD FOR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACTS

Assemblyman Says Recent Reports of Greatly Varying Perks,

Salaries Underscore Need for Statewide Boilerplate Language

     (South Plainfield) -- Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr. today announced that he currently is working on legislation that would implement a statewide contract template for the hiring of all public school superintendents.

     "There is absolutely no reason that superintendent contracts should vary so greatly from district-to-district," said Diegnan (D-Middlesex), a member of the Assembly Education Committee. "A standard contract template would level the playing field across districts and stop the end-run abuses of tax dollars meant for the classroom. Most importantly, it would insulate the vast majority of dedicated educators from seeing their reputations tarnished by the untoward practices of a few."

     Diegnan's proposed legislation would require that all school districts in New Jersey use a standard template when hiring a new superintendent. The template would be created by state education officials and would address all aspects of employment including salary, health insurance, pension, sick days, and vacation. School boards and prospective superintendents seeking to deviate from the standard contract would have to seek approval the Commissioner of the Department of Education.

     Diegnan's said his proposal for contract standardization would dovetail with new accountability regulations issued earlier this summer by Commissioner Lucille Davy. Those regulations give state officials the ability to evaluate contracts for superintendents, assistant superintendents, and school business administrators and veto those found to be excessive.

     "The proposed legislation and the new regulations both aim to ensure that there is no room for gaming the education system when a contract is signed," said Diegnan. "And, there can be no room for abuse when there is a fixed standard."

     Diegnan said he aims to have the legislation ready for formal introduction when the Assembly returns on September 15.