***MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE*** Diegnan, Lampitt on Bill to Standardize School Superintendent Contracts

***MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE***

DIEGNAN/LAMPITT ON BILL TO STANDARDIZE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT CONTRACTS

Measure Would Protect Taxpayers by Creating Statewide Boilerplate Contract Language

(TRENTON) - Assembly members Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr., and Pamela R. Lampitt today issued a multimedia package on legislation they sponsored to implement a statewide contract template for the hiring of all public school superintendents.

The bill (A-3185) would require that all school districts in New Jersey use a standard contract template when hiring a new superintendent.  The template would address all aspects of employment, including salary, health insurance, pension benefits, sick leave and vacation days.  The sponsors said their measure would create greater transparency and allow for more thorough evaluations of potentially excessive contracts.

The measure recently passed the Assembly and is awaiting consideration in the Senate.

The multimedia package consists of a video press release on the measure, audio of same and a transcript of comments by the sponsors.

The video can be accessed directly via our Web site - www.assemblydems.com - or by clicking here.

The audio file is available upon request.

A transcript of comments from the sponsors is appended below:

Assemblyman Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr. (D-Middlesex):

"This is really, basically, a taxpayer protection bill.  Every district in the State of New Jersey should use the same template - the same format - for its superintendants' contracts, so it is simply stated that taxpayers will know what award is being given to superintendants."

Assemblywoman Pamela R. Lampitt (D-Camden):

"It was very important for us to create a template that remained consistent about hiring of superintendants because there is contractual language that needs to be given.  The structure of the contract is vital for very particular issues like thresholds for sick time, thresholds for vacation time upon departure."

Diegnan:

"Several years ago we did away with tenure for superintendants.  At the time, that was believed to be a good thing.  What it really, literally, has done is created a free agent market for superintendants.  Many times they go from district to district and get the best deal that they can get in each particular district.  The playing field is not level."

Lampitt:

"The expectation of a learning curve for people when they get onto a school board is so vast that the need for creating this format creates a little more continuity and consistency."

Diegnan:

"There's many times that a board of education will say, 'Gee, we didn't even realize that we agreed to this particular perk in the contract.'  So if there's a standard form of contract every board of education will level the playing field and the taxpayers will know exactly what the superintendant is being awarded.  This will be a plain, simple English contract that any citizen can read and understand exactly what the award to the superintendant will be."

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