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School Ethics Commission

Board Member/Charter School Trustee Training Q & A

Q: What are the training requirements for new board members/charter school trustees?

A: Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:12-33,each newly elected or appointed board member or charter school trustee (hereinafter, “trustee,”) shall, during the first year of his or her service on any board, complete a training program prepared and offered by the New Jersey School Boards Association  (NJSBA) entitled Governance I: New Board Member Orientation.  See Training Requirements Chart at IA.

Q: How is "newly elected or appointed member" defined?

A: N.J.A.C. 6A:28-1.2 defines "newly elected or appointed board member" as a board member who: 1) has never served as a member of either an elected or appointed school board; or 2) a board member who has not served for 10 years or more and has not previously completed a training program prepared and offered by the NJSBA.

Q:  When does a board member’s/trustee’s first year of service begin?

A:  A board member’s/trustee’s first year of service begins when that person is newly appointed or elected for a term of twelve months or more.  Thus if a board member/trustee is newly appointed to a term that is less than twelve months, his/her first term of service has not begun and the board member/trustee is not required to complete any training.

Q: Are there training requirements for board members/trustees in subsequent years of service?

A: Yes. The School Ethics Act was amended in 2007 by the School District Accountability Act, P.L. 2007, c.53, to include additional training requirements for board members/trustees in their second and third year of service, and to require all board members/trustees to complete an advanced training program within one year after each re-election or re-appointment.  Therefore, each board member/trustee who is in the second year and third year of service on the board must complete training entitled Governance II and Governance III, respectively.  See Training Requirements Chart at IA.  Within one year after each re-election or re-appointment to the board of education or charter school board of trustees, each board member/trustee shall complete an advanced training program on relevant changes to New Jersey school law to be prepared and offered by the NJSBA.  Thus, each board member/trustee who is in the first year of a subsequent term must take a training program entitled Governance IV: Legal Update.  See Training Requirements Chart at IB.

Q: How does a board member/trustee obtain the training?

A: The training sessions are sponsored by the NJSBA.   Board secretaries and charter school designees should call the NJSBA Call Center at (609) 278-5260 to register board members/trustees for training. Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:28-4.2(a), all board secretaries and charter school designees must inform the NJSBA when new members/trustees are appointed and when they leave the board.  In order to meet this regulatory requirement, the NJSBA has prepared a census form which lists all current members/trustees. To obtain a copy of the form, contact Maria Palomino at (609) 278-5283.

Q: What action can the School Ethics Commission take against board members/trustees who fail to attend training as required?

A: The Commission may recommend that a board member/trustee be reprimanded, censured, suspended or removed for failing to attend training as required by N.J.S.A. 18A:12-33.

Q: What type of training must a board member/trustee complete when s/he is appointed to fill a one-year unexpired term?

A: When this is the board member’s/trustee’s first year of service on the board, s/he must complete the Governance I: New Board Member Orientation training.   See Training Requirements Chart at IIA.

Q: What type of training must a board member/trustee complete when, after appointment to fill a one-year unexpired term, that board member gets elected to a full three-year term?

A: Since that board member/trustee would have already completed the Governance I: New Board Member Orientation training when serving the one-year unexpired term, s/he must complete Governance II in the first year of her/his full three-year term and Governance III in the second year.  See Training Requirements Chart at IIB.

Q: What type of training must a board member/trustee complete when s/he was appointed to fill one year of a two-year unexpired term and then s/he is elected to fill the remaining one year of the term?

A: The board member/trustee would have one year from the date of appointment to complete the Governance I: New Board Member Orientation training.  After being elected to fill the second year of the two-year unexpired term, the board member/trustee must complete Governance II.  See Training Requirements Chart at IID.  If the board member/trustee is subsequently elected to a full three-year term, s/he would complete Governance IV: Legal Update. See Training Requirements Chart at IB.

Q: What type of training must a board member/trustee complete when s/he was appointed to fill one year of a three-year unexpired term and then s/he is elected to fill the remaining two years of the term?

A: The board member/trustee would have one year from the date of appointment to complete the Governance I: New Board Member Orientation training.   Upon election to the remaining two years of the unexpired term, the board member/trustee would complete Governance II in the first year after election and Governance III in the second year after election.  See Training Requirements Chart at IIC.

Q: What type of training must a board member/trustee complete when s/he previously served two terms (s/he already took the Governance I: New Board Member Orientation training), took a few years off, then is elected to a full term subsequent to the enactment of P.L. 2007, c.53 which included the expanded training requirements?

A: The board member/trustee was re-elected to a full term after a gap in service. In the first year of his/her new term, s/he should complete Governance II, followed by Governance III in the second year of his/her new term. Thus the board member/trustee should follow the sequence of training programs, as appears to be the intent of the statute.  Board members are required to take Governance I, II and III one time only.  See Training Requirements Chart at IVA.

June 2010