Employment of Support Staff Members
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EMPLOYMENT OF SUPPORT STAFF MEMBERS (M)
The Board of Education believes it is vital to the successful operation of the school district that support staff member positions be filled with highly qualified and competent professionals.
In accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:27-4.1, the Board shall appoint, transfer, remove, or renew a certificated or non-certificated officer or employee only upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools and by a recorded roll call majority vote of the full membership of the Board. The Board shall not withhold its approval for arbitrary and capricious reasons. The Board shall approve the employment, fix the compensation, and establish the term of employment for every support staff member employed by this district.
The Board may employ substitutes and/or contract for substitutes for absent support staff members in order to ensure continuity in a program. The Board will annually approve a list of substitutes and rate of pay and/or the Board will approve a contract for a contracted service provider to provide substitute support staff members.
The Board of Education shall not employ for pay or contract for the paid services of any support staff member or any other person serving in a position which involves regular contact with students unless the Board has first determined consistent with the requirements and standards of N.J.S.A. 18A:6-7.1 et seq. that no criminal history record information exists on file in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Identification Division, or the State Bureau of Identification which would disqualify the individual from being employed or utilized in such capacity or position.
An individual employed by the Board or a school bus contractor holding a contract with the Board, in the capacity of a school bus driver, shall be required to meet the criminal history record requirements as outlined in N.J.S.A. 18A:39-19.1.
The Board will employ paraprofessional school aides and/or classroom aides to assist in the supervision of student activities under the direction of a Principal, teacher, or other designated certified professional personnel. Aides will serve the needs of students by performing nonprofessional duties and may work only under the direct supervision of a teaching staff member(s).
In accordance with the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), paraprofessionals hired after January 8, 2002, who work in a program supported with Title I, Part A funds, with certain exceptions, must meet one of the following criteria:
1. Completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education;
2. Obtained an associate’s (or higher) degree; or
3. Met a rigorous standard of quality and be able to demonstrate, through a formal State or local academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics (or, as appropriate, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness).
Paraprofessional staff working in a Title I school, and whose salary is paid for in whole or in part with Title I funds, must meet one of the criteria listed above. The Superintendent or designee will ensure paraprofessionals working in a program supported with Title I funds meet the above stated requirements.
An individual employed by the Board in any substitute capacity or position shall be required to undergo a criminal history record check in accordance with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:6-7.1b.
An individual, except as provided in N.J.S.A. 18A:6-7.1g, shall be permanently disqualified from employment or service in the school district if the criminal history record check reveals a record of conviction for any crime or offense as defined in N.J.S.A. 18A:6-7.1 et seq.
The Board or contracted service provider may employ an applicant on an emergent basis for a period not to exceed three months, pending completion of a criminal history record check if the Board or contracted service provider demonstrates to the Commissioner of Education that special circumstances exist which justify the emergent employment as prescribed in N.J.S.A. 18A:6-7.lc. In the event the criminal history record check is not completed for an emergent hired employee within three months, the Board or contracted service provider may petition the Commissioner for an extension of time, not to exceed two months, in order to retain the employee.
No criminal history record check shall be performed unless the applicant shall have furnished written consent to such a check. The applicant shall bear the cost for the criminal history record check, including all costs for administering and processing the check. The district will deny employment to an applicant if the applicant is required and refuses to submit to a criminal history record check.
The Board of Education prohibits any relative of a Board member or the Superintendent of Schools from being employed in an office or position in the school district in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-6.2 and Board Policy 0142.1 – Nepotism.
A support staff member’s misstatement of fact material to his/her qualifications for employment or the determination of his/her salary will be considered by the Board to constitute grounds for dismissal.
N.J.S.A. 18A:6-5; 18A:6-6; 18A:6-7.1; 18A:6-7.1b;
18A:6-7.1c; 18A:6-7.2;
18A:16-1 et seq.; 18A:26-1 et seq.;
18A:27-1 et seq.; 18A:27-4.1;
18A:27-7; 18A:27-8; 18A:39-19.1
N.J.S.A. 18A:54-20 [vocational districts]
Revised: 25 February 2021
Revised: 26 June 2014
Adopted: 26 July 2005