New Jersey Administrative Code › Title - EXECUTIVE ORDERS › Title 55 - CHRIS CHRISTIE › Section - Executive Order No. 309 (2022)

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
Governor Philip D. Murphy
Executive Order No. 309 (2022)
An Order Establishing a Task Force to Help Address Public School Staff Shortages Across New Jersey
Issued: November 10, 2022.
Effective: November 10, 2022.
WHEREAS, across the country, states and school districts have reported staff shortages and continue to face challenges related to vacancies of teachers and educational support professionals ("ESP"); and
WHEREAS, data suggests the pandemic has exacerbated shortages in specific teaching areas, including, but not limited to, special education, science and math, and English as a second language or bilingual education; and
WHEREAS, New Jersey public schools rank among the best in the nation and our teachers are one of the primary reasons why New Jersey's school system is consistently ranked so high; and
WHEREAS, students need diverse, effective teachers and ESPs more than ever to help them accelerate back to grade level after the disruption of the past two years; and
WHEREAS, collaboration is critical for understanding the challenges our schools are facing and to allow policymakers to provide assistance to help our students and educators where it is needed; and
NOW, THEREFORE, I, PHILIP D. MURPHY, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:
1. There is hereby established, within the Office of the Governor, the Task Force on Public School Staff Shortages in New Jersey (the "Task Force") that will develop recommendations to address teacher and ESP shortages in school districts across the State.
2. The Task Force shall be composed of no more than 25 members, including the Chief Policy Advisor to the Governor, or his designee; the Commissioner of the Department of Education, or her designee; four members upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Education Association; three members upon recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, with at least two of these members being superintendents representing a separate and distinct sector of the diverse student population across the State; two members upon the recommendation of the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey School Boards Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Public Charter Schools Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Parent Teacher Association; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Council on County Vocational-Technical Schools; two members upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education; one member upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities; one member upon the recommendation of the Senate President; and one member upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the General Assembly. All members shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
3. The Governor may, as determined to be appropriate, appoint additional members to the Task Force.
4. The Chief Policy Advisor to the Governor, or his designee, shall serve as the chairperson to the Task Force.
5. All public members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation.
6. The Task Force shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members, and shall convene as often as practicable and as requested by the Governor or chairperson.
7. The Task Force is authorized to call upon any department, office, division, or agency of this State to supply it with data and any other information or assistance available to such agency as the Task Force deems necessary to execute its duties under this Order. Each department, office, division, or agency of this State is hereby required, to the extent not inconsistent with law, to cooperate fully with the Task Force within the limits of its statutory authority and to furnish it with such assistance on as timely a basis as is necessary to accomplish the purpose of this Order. The Task Force may, and is expected to, consult with experts and other knowledgeable individuals in the public or private sector on any aspect of its mission.
8. The objectives of the Task Force shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
a. To develop short-term and long-term recommendations to increase the quantity of teacher applicants in our State;
b. To develop short-term and long-term recommendations to increase the quantity of ESP applicants in our State;
c. To explore innovative ways the State can recruit and retain the educators and school staff our students need;
d. To identify best practices and resources to increase the pipeline of teacher candidates;
e. To identify best practices and resources to increase the pipeline of ESP candidates; and
f. To identify best practices and resources to ensure retention of school staff members.