Consultation

NJSBA’s Policy Services provides telephone and email consultation to all members.  Consultation services include investigation and research into board policy inquires, sample policies and regulations collected from New Jersey and other school districts, policy review and feedback and other resources related to policy development.

To reach an NJSBA Policy Consultant, contact Steve McGettigan at [email protected] or Jean Harkness at [email protected].

The Wellness Check

An NJSBA policy consultant will review your policy manual and report on the condition of each policy, as well as the manual as a whole. Available at no additional cost to local boards of education, the Wellness Check helps ensure that your district’s policy manual is up to date and complies with federal and state requirements. To receive a Wellness Check, contact our Policy Services team.

The Critical Policy Reference Manual (CPRM)*

For local boards of education, the Critical Policy Reference Manual (CPRM), a dues-based service, provides legally sound model policies essential for the effective district operations. Each policy topic is accompanied by a detailed reference document that explains the legal basis for the policy language. NJSBA also publishes a CPRM for participants in the Associate Membership Program for Charter Schools. Learn more.

*Announcement: Important Term Change – The review of the Critical Policy Reference Manual (CPRM) was completed in December 2016 and all substantive updates have been posted on the Policy Update List. These updates did not include posting simple term changes made to the policies and legal references. In May 2016, the State Board of Education approved renaming the curriculum standards for preschool through grade 12 from Core Curriculum Content Standards to New Jersey Student Learning Standards. This term change affects 32 policies in the CPRM. Click to see the list of policies.

The Policy Update List

As a benefit of NJSBA membership, local boards of education can access a month-by-month posting of CPRM policies that have been revised as a result of changes in state and federal law and regulation. Charter School Associate members may also use this list and access the updated documents in the Charter School CPRM or by contacting a consultant.

Access the Policy Update List now. (The Policy Update List is a members-only resource requiring a password.)

The Manual for the Development of Job Descriptions (JD)

A dues-based service, this manual  provides qualifications, reporting structures, job goals, scope of responsibilities, and legal citations for the many positions in your district/school. Simply customize each sample description to meet your district’s/school’s needs for positions ranging from chief school administrator (superintendent or lead person) to buildings and grounds supervisor.

Access the Manual for the Development of Job Descriptions now (the Manual for the Development of Job Descriptions is a members-only resource requiring a password):

School District Edition
Charter School Edition

If you have any questions or need additional samples, please contact Jean Harkness at [email protected].

NJSBA’s Policies and Positions on Education

The Manual of Positions and Policies on Education represents NJSBA’s beliefs on the role of the federal and state governments in public education, board of education responsibilities, school district operations, and other critical areas. Learn more.


Policy Manual Writing Services

Take your district’s policies to a new level. Through our Policy Manual Writing Services, an NJSBA consultant will review, update, and write your entire policy manual. This service includes free email updates. Learn more.

BoardDocs Services

Through BoardDocs, NJSBA offers two cost-effective, powerful, easy-to-use solutions that will allow your district to significantly improve the way they create and manage board packets, access information and conduct meetings: BoardDocs Pro and BoardDocs LT. Both products are fully supported on mobile devices and tablets. Learn more.

Online Policy Manual Maintenance and Publication Services

Policy Alerts and Resources (PAR) NJSBA offers a Policy Alerts and Resources (PAR) service to give your district or charter school access to all of the policy resources necessary to keep your policy manual up-to-date. It also delivers the tools to assist you in making policy decisions, all in one convenient place.The PAR service is included free with our Customized Policy Writing Service, or it can be purchased separately.

Policy Maintenance Manual Online Publication Service NJSBA offers an affordable policy maintenance and online publication service, allowing authorized users to update, revise, and create policies within the system. This service makes the updated policies public upon board approval and marks policies as “draft,” “approved” or “retired.” The publication service also allows you to host an unlimited number of manuals and handbooks, cross-reference policies, and locate key phrases in all manuals and handbooks through a single search.

For more information about NJSBA Policy Fee Based services, contact Lou Schimenti via email at [email protected] or by phone (609) 278-5271.