N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:9B-12.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 6A:9B-12.4 - School administrator

(a) To be eligible for the school administrator CE, the candidate shall:

1. Complete one of the following:

i. Hold a master's or higher degree in educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, or one of the recognized fields of leadership or management from an accredited college or university; or

ii. Hold a master's degree from an accredited college or university and complete a graduate-level program in educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, or one of the recognized fields of leadership or management;

2. Complete a 150-hour internship in educational leadership aligned to the Professional Standards for School Leaders and in accordance with the roles and responsibilities as a school administrator, independent of other course requirements. This internship either shall appear on a transcript from a four-year regionally accredited college or university or must be certified by a Commissioner-approved program for preparing school administrators;

3. Pass a State-approved examination aligned with the Professional Standards for School Leaders and most directly related to the functions of superintendents at N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-12.3(a); and

4. Complete five years of successful educational experience in a school district, nonpublic school, or an accredited college or university.

(b) A candidate who matriculates and enrolls in a Commissioner-approved educational leadership preparation program on or after September 1, 2008, shall be required to complete all requirements at (a) above.

(c) To be eligible for a provisional certificate with a school administrator endorsement, the candidate shall:

1. Hold a school administrator CE; and

2. Obtain and accept an offer of employment in a position requiring the school administrator certificate in a school district that has agreed formally to sponsor the residency.

(d) The effective date of provisional certificate issuance shall be the date on which the CE holder begins employment with the district board of education in a certified position in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:26-2 and 18A:27-4a.

(e) To be eligible for the standard administrative certificate with a school administrator endorsement, the candidate shall:

1. Possess a provisional certificate pursuant to (a) and (b) above; and

2. Complete a one-year Commissioner-approved residency program while employed under a provisional certificate in a school or school district. However, the Commissioner is authorized to reduce or remove the residency requirement based on the candidate's prior experience.

(f) The Commissioner-approved program provider selected by the candidate shall implement the residency program, which shall:

1. Take place in a functioning school or school district;

2. Provide professional experiences, training, mentoring, instruction, and opportunities to network with other candidates and experienced school administrators;

3. Develop the candidate's thorough understanding of the NJSLS, the Professional Standards for Teachers, and the Professional Standards for School Leaders;

4. Ensure the employing school or school district, the candidate, the Commissioner-approved residency mentor, and the provider enter into a standard Department-issued agreement prior to the candidate starting the residency program; and

5. Provide a State-approved mentor who meets the requirements at (g) below.

(g) The Commissioner-approved mentor shall have a minimum of three years' experience as an effective school administrator and been engaged in New Jersey public schools for at least three of the last five years. Prior to mentoring a candidate, the mentor shall complete a Department-approved mentor training program. The mentor shall:

1. Provide support based on an individualized mentoring plan, pursuant to (i) below, which shall take the place of the individualized professional development plan during the residency period and shall be developed collaboratively by the mentor, the candidate, and the candidate's supervisor;

2. Supervise and verify the candidate's completion of all required experiences and training;

3. Meet with the candidate at least once a month during the residency. The mentor shall be available on a regular basis to provide confidential assistance or advice upon the candidate's request;

4. Guide the candidate through a self-assessment based on the Professional Standards for School Leaders;

5. Assist the candidate in developing the required individual professional development plan for the school year following the residency period; and

6. Act as agents of the Board of Examiners in formulating their certification recommendations, which is not subject to review or approval by district boards of education.

(h) The individualized mentoring plan shall be:

1. Based on the candidate's preparation, past work experience, and the unique leadership demands of the employing school or school district;

2. Developed to provide support in the following areas:

i. School or school district planning and policy formulation;

ii. District board of education operations and relations, if applicable;

iii. Supervision of schoolwide or districtwide programs of curriculum, instruction, and student services;

iv. Collegial management, participatory decision-making, and professional governance;

v. The roles, supervision, and evaluation of central office staff and school principals;

vi. School or school district financial, legal, and business operations;

vii. Management of district operations, school facilities, labor relations, and collective bargaining;

viii. Government and community relations; and

ix. School law.

(i) Mentors shall formally evaluate candidates for the school administrator endorsement at least three times.

1. All performance evaluations shall be aligned with the Professional Standards for School Leaders. The mentor shall discuss each evaluation with the candidate, and the mentor and candidate shall sign each report.

2. The final evaluation shall be the basis for issuance of the candidate's standard certificate.

(j) A candidate for a standard certificate with a school administrator endorsement shall be approved or disapproved by the Commissioner-approved residency program pursuant to the following procedures:

1. This final report shall include one of the following certification recommendations:

i. Approved: Recommends issuance of a standard certificate;

ii. Insufficient: Recommends a standard certificate not be issued, but the candidate be allowed to continue the residency or seek admission to another residency for one additional year; or

iii. Disapproved: Recommends a standard certificate not be issued and the candidate shall be prevented from continuing or re-entering a residency.

2. The mentor shall provide the candidate with a copy of the signed evaluation report, and the mentor's recommendation, before submitting it to the Department.

3. Candidates who receive an "approved" recommendation shall be issued a standard certificate.

(k) A candidate who receives a "disapproved" recommendation or two or more "insufficient" recommendations may appeal to the Board of Examiners pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-4.13.

(l) An experienced New Jersey principal who holds a master's degree or higher in a field not at (a)1 above may satisfy the degree requirement by meeting the requirements at (a)3 above and the following:

1. A valid, standard New Jersey principal endorsement; and

2. Official documentation of five years of successful full-time experience as a principal or assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in a New Jersey public school or in an approved nonpublic school.

(m) Other provisions of this chapter notwithstanding, the Board of Examiners shall issue a CE, a provisional certificate, and a standard certificate for school administrator to a candidate for appointment as chief school administrator in a school district in which the State appoints the chief school administrator.

1. The Commissioner shall direct the Board of Examiners to issue a CE to the candidate if the candidate:

i. Possesses a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited four-year college or university;

ii. Has sufficient management and executive leadership experience in a public or private organization, as determined by the Commissioner, to allow the candidate to successfully administer the State-operated school district. The candidate shall document the experience in alignment with the Professional Standards for School Leaders. The Commissioner will align the review of the candidate's documented experience with the Professional Standards for School Leaders and will base judgment of the candidate's relevant experience on the review; and

iii. Passes a criminal history review prior to issuance of the CE.

2. The Board of Examiners shall issue a provisional certificate to the candidate meeting the criteria at (m)1 above upon the candidate's appointment by the State Board as State-operated school district superintendent pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7A-35.

3. The Board of Examiners shall issue a standard certificate to the candidate if the candidate:

i. Has successfully completed a residency per (e) through (i) above;

ii. Has successfully passed two formative performance reviews and one summative performance review by the Department on a schedule to be set by the Department. The performance reviews shall be based in part upon a portfolio prepared by the candidate that documents the experience in the superintendent position as aligned with the Professional Standards for School Leaders; and

iii. Has passed a Department-approved assessment for school administrators.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:9B-12.4

Amended by R.2005 d.110, effective 4/4/2005.
See: 36 N.J.R. 5044(a), 37 N.J.R. 1060(a).
Added (k).
Amended by R.2006 d.170, effective 5/15/2006.
See: 37 N.J.R. 4612(a), 38 N.J.R. 2126(a).
Substituted "N.J.A.C. 6A:9-12.5(j)2" for "N.J.A.C. 6A:9-12.5(i)2" in (a)1iv.
Amended by R.2008 d.7, effective 1/7/2008.
See: 39 N.J.R. 3441(a), 40 N.J.R. 113(b).
Rewrote the section.
Amended by R.2009 d.24, effective 1/5/2009.
See: 40 N.J.R. 4856(a), 41 N.J.R. 128(a).
In (b), substituted "state-approved" for "State-approved" twice; added new (c); recodified former (c) through (l) as (d) through (m); in (f), substituted "(i)" for "(h)"; and in (i)1, substituted "(e)" for "(d)".
Amended by R.2011 d.053, effective 2/7/2011.
See: 42 N.J.R. 1947(a), 43 N.J.R. 282(b).
Deleted former (k); and recodified former (l) and (m) as (k) and (l).
Amended by R.2011 d.226, effective 8/15/2011.
See: 43 N.J.R. 767(a), 43 N.J.R. 2176(a).
Added (m) and (n).
Amended by R.2013 d.091, effective 7/1/2013.
See: 45 N.J.R. 152(a), 45 N.J.R. 1605(a).
Rewrote the section.
Recodified from N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-11.4 and amended by R.2015 d.196, effective 12/7/2015.
See: 47 N.J.R. 1730(a), 47 N.J.R. 2989(a).
Rewrote the section. Former N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-12.4, School nurse/non-instructional, recodified to N.J.A.C. 6A:9B-14.4.
Administrative change.
See: 48 N.J.R. 1802(a).
Amended by R.2017 d.057, effective 4/3/2017.
See: 48 N.J.R. 2188(a), 49 N.J.R. 641(a).
In (a)2, deleted "(a)1 through 6" following "6A:9-3.4".
Modified by Executive Order No. 103(2020), effective 6/30/2020.
See: 52 N.J.R. 1480(a). Terminated effective 8/31/2021. See 53 N.J.R. 1655(a).

Amended by 55 N.J.R. 853(a), effective 5/1/2023