TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Senator Joseph Lagana, which would require school districts and charter schools to adopt nepotism policies, cleared the Senate today.
“Our school districts should always be executing a competitive application process which results in them hiring the best possible candidate,” said Senator Lagana (D-Bergen/Passaic). “To best serve the students of our state, all school districts should be hiring the most qualified person for the job, without letting personal relationships get in the way.”
The bill, S-2637, would direct boards of education of school districts and county vocational school districts to adopt and implement a nepotism policy. The adoption of such a policy would be required to receive state aid. At minimum, the policy would have to include the provisions outlined in the bill.
The bill would also direct the board of trustees of a charter school to adopt and implement a nepotism policy, incorporating the provisions outlined in the bill.
The policy would apply to relatives of school board members, chief school administrators, school business administrators, school board attorneys and directors of personnel.
A school district or county vocational district could exclude per diem substitutes and student employees from its nepotism policy.
The bill was released from the Senate by a vote of 40-0.