Department of Education - School Ethics

School Ethics Commission

School Ethics Commission, New Jersey Department of Education
100 Riverview Plaza, P.O. Box 500, Trenton, NJ 08625
Phone: (609) 984-6941, Fax: (609) 633-0279

The School Ethics Commission is a nine-member body that reviews, investigates and renders decisions on complaints against school officials alleging violations of the School Ethics Act. If the Commission finds a violation, it is authorized to recommend to the Commissioner of Education that the school official receive a reprimand, censure, suspension or removal from office. The Commission also issues advisory opinions to school officials seeking guidance on their conduct. The office oversees the process for the filing of financial and personal disclosure statements by all school officials. In addition, it enforces the statutory requirement that all new school board members attend new board member orientation within the first year of their first term on the board.

About the School Ethics Commission:

School Ethics Commission Members
Meetings
Directions
School Ethics Act
This page contains The School Ethics Act, set forth at N.J.S.A. 18A:12-21 et seq., which declared that school officials must avoid conduct which is in violation of their public trust or which creates a justifiable impression that the public trust is being violated. A school official is defined as a board member, a charter school trustee, a managerial employee or officer of the New Jersey School Boards Association or an administrator.
The School Ethics Act defines proper conduct for school officials and creates mechanisms to monitor their conduct. The Act sets forth standards for the following: Conflicts of Interest; Code of Ethics for School Board Members; Disclosure of Employment and Financial Interests; Financial Disclosure Statements and New School Board Member Training Requirements.

The School Ethics Act also created the School Ethics Commission and general guidelines for its operation. It sets forth: the Composition of the School Ethics Commission; Complaint and Answer Procedures; Standards for the Imposition of Sanctions; the Authority to issue Advisory Opinions; and the Commission’s Inability to Act on Pending Matters.

Revisions to the School Ethics Act:

School Ethics Act Update Outline
This page contains a summary of revisions made to the School Ethics Act as well as a review of pertinent decisions and public advisory opinions made by the School Ethics Commission.
Commission's March 23, 1999 Resolution regarding new board member training
This page contains the School Ethics Commission's amended resolution stating that newly elected board members, as of April 1999, must undergo training. Failure to attend training within the year may result in a finding of a violation of the School Ethics Act and a penalty up to removal.
Code of Ethics for School Board Members
Acknowledgment of Receipt, Code of Ethics for School Board Members (PDF | Microsoft Word)
Resolution on Adopting the Doctrine of Necessity

Submissions to the School Ethics Commission:

School Ethics Commission Administrative Code
This page contains amendments to the State Board of Education's Code, N.J.A.C. 6A:28, School Operations Chapter, which governs the School Ethics Commission. Please note that the Code requires that complaints must be filed within one year of the conduct alleged to be in violation of the Act in order to be considered by the Commission.

School Ethics Decisions and Advisory Opinions

Appeals from School Ethics Commission Decisions

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Sites