Allows Governor to remove executive county superintendent of schools at will.

A4423

ASSEMBLY, No. 4423

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� JAY WEBBER

District 26 (Morris and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Allows Governor to remove executive county
superintendent of schools at will.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning the removal of executive county
superintendents and amending N.J.S.18A:7-1.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� N.J.S.18A:7-1 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 18A:7-1.� a.� The Governor,
upon the recommendation of the commissioner and with the advice and consent of
the Senate, shall appoint for each county, a suitable person, who holds an
appropriate certificate issued pursuant to this title and who has been a
resident of the State for at least three years immediately preceding the
appointment, to be the executive county superintendent of schools, who shall
serve
[
,
unless sooner removed pursuant to law,
]

at the pleasure of the Governor
for a term of three years. �The
superintendent may be re-appointed by the Governor on the basis of a
satisfactory performance assessment required pursuant to subsection b. of this
section.� A person who is serving as a county superintendent of schools on the
effective date of sections 42 to 58 of P.L.2007, c.63 (C.18A:7-11 et al.),
shall be eligible for appointment as the executive county superintendent of
schools.� The executive county superintendent of schools shall report to the
Commissioner of Education or to a person designated by the commissioner.

���� b.��� An executive county
superintendent shall be subject to at least one performance assessment during
the three-year term.� The performance of the superintendent shall be assessed
by the Commissioner of Education based on the ability of the superintendent to
monitor and promote administrative and operational efficiencies and cost
savings within the school districts located in the county, while enhancing the
effectiveness of the districts in providing a thorough and efficient system of
education, and on their monitoring of the school districts in the five key
components of school district effectiveness under the New Jersey Quality Single
Accountability Continuum: instruction and program; personnel; fiscal
management; operations; and governance.� In establishing the standards for
assessing the performance of the superintendent in facilitating administrative
efficiencies, the commissioner shall include such factors as
administrator-to-teacher ratios, administrator-to-student ratios, per-pupil
administrative expenditures, and improved student educational outcomes.

(cf: P.L.2007, c.63, s.42)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill clarifies the
position of executive county superintendent of schools by stating that the
position is an at will appointment and consequently can be terminated without
cause by the Governor at any time before the expiration of the superintendent�s
three year term.� In the event that the Governor exercises this authority, the
position is to be filled in the same manner as any other vacancy of the
position as described in N.J.S.18A:7-2 and section 55 of P.L.2007, c.63
(C.18A:7-13).�