Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • January 18, 2012 Mahwah Board wants state to amend TEACHNJ by Frank J. McMahon The Mahwah Board of Education wants the New Jersey Legislature to amend TEACHNJ, the Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for the Children of New Jersey Act legislation currently being considered in the Education Committees of both the state Assembly and Senate. At the last meeting of 2011, trustee Peter Wendrychowicz advised that he attended a recent meeting of the New Jersey School Boards Association that urged all school boards not to support this legislation. He explained that it would significantly diminish the involvement of the superintendent and local school board in personnel matters, and it contains new rules for teacher tenure. Wendrychowicz explained that the proposed legislation, Senate Bill 2925 and Assembly Bill 4132, would give sole authority to appoint or remove instructional staff to the principal, in consultation with a “school improvement panel” consisting of the principal, an assistant principal, and an instructional staff member nominated by the principal and approved by the staff. In addition, any action taken by a principal to appoint or remove an employee would not be subject to approval of either the superintendent or the board of education. “The TEACHNJ Act would completely remove the local board of education and the district superintendent from future personnel decisions,” Wendrychowicz said. Under current law, the board of education has the authority to appoint, transfer, or remove employees upon the recommendation of the superintendent. In a resolution that was passed unanimously, the school board points out that the current hiring and staffing process has worked successfully in school districts throughout the state, as evidenced by the New Jersey students’ performance on nationwide measures of achievement, such as the National Assessment of Education Progress. The board urges the legislature to amend the proposal to ensure that personnel hiring and placement decisions remain under the authority of the district superintendent, with the approval of the local board of education, which contains the community’s elected or appointed representatives. The proposed legislation also provides reform of the state’s tenure process and seniority system and would change the requirements for a teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice principal to attain tenure in their positions. Under current law, teachers, principals, and other teaching staff members whose positions require that they hold a certificate issued by the New Jersey Board of Examiners receive tenure after completing three years of employment in a school district. This legislation provides that a person who is employed in the position of teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice principal on or after the effective date of the legislation would receive tenure after the employee receives a rating of “effective” in each of three consecutive annual evaluations, with the first effective rating being received on or after the completion of the second year of employment. Under the proposed legislation, a newly hired teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice principal could qualify for tenure after four or more years of employment in the district. In the case of a teacher, the individual would have to complete a mentorship program in the first year of employment. All other school district employees who are currently eligible for tenure would be able to attain tenure after a threeyear period of employment, as established by existing law. The legislation regarding tenure also includes a procedure which must be followed when a teacher, principal, assistant principal, or vice principal is transferred or promoted. In addition, the legislation provides that the principal, in consultation with the panel, must revoke the tenure granted to an employee in the position of teacher, assistant principal, or vice principal, if the employee is evaluated as “ineffective” in two consecutive annual evaluations. The legislation also requires that the superintendent, or his or her designee, revoke a principal’s tenure if the principal is evaluated as “ineffective” in two consecutive evaluations.