New Jersey School Administrators Education And Research Foundation

NEW JERSEY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS EDUCATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION (NJSAERF) MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THE LEARNING RESEARCH EFFORTS OF THE NJASA, AND OPTIMIZE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF NEW JERSEY'S PUBLIC SCHOOL LEADERS TO ENSURE A SUPERIOR STATEWIDE EDUCATION SYSTEM. THE FOUNDATION'S GOAL IS TO CONDUCT AND DISTRIBUTE INFLUENTIAL RESEARCH TO NEW JERSEY STAKEHOLDERS WHO EFFECT EDUCATIONAL REGULATIONS, LEGISLATION AND POLICY.

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.

PUBLICATIONS: NJASA/NJSAERF DELIVERS EDUCATION-SPECIFIC NEWS AND INFORMATION TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF SCHOOL SYSTEM LEADERS. MANY OF THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE OFFERED AS A BENEFIT OF MEMBERSHIP. ALL ARE ONLINE PUBLICATIONS.ON TARGET IS A BI-MONTHLY PUBLICATION FILLED WITH INFORMATIVE ARTICLES WRITTEN TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR EVERYDAY CHALLENGES.THE SOURCE ENEWSLETTER IS A BI-WEEKLY ALERT DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TIMELY NEWS BRIEFS.EYES ON THE NEW JERSEY STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER TO KEEP MEMBERS ABREAST OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE NEW JERSEY STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.AHEAD ON STATE STREET NJASA AT THE CAPITOL LEGISLATIVE UPDATE IS PUBLISHED SEVERAL TIMES PER MONTH TO KEEP MEMBERS INFORMED OF ALL-IMPORTANT EDUCATION-RELATED LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.