| Angelini, O’Scanlon, Casagrande & Rible Diploma Mill Bill Clears General Assembly |
Legislation sponsored by Assembly Republican members Mary Pat Angelini, Declan O’Scanlon, Caroline Casagrande and Dave Rible that imposes stringent requirements for school districts to provide their employees with tuition assistance for coursework or additional compensation upon acquisition of academic credits or completion of a degree program was unanimously approved today by the General Assembly.
The legislation was created in the wake of the revelation that certain members of school administrations as well as teachers, were receiving higher degrees from non-accredited schools or “diploma mills,” for which they received pay raises.
“It’s time to close the door on this reprehensible practice,” said Angelini, R-Monmouth. “School superintendents, district administrators and New Jersey taxpayers need to know that this Legislature will not tolerate fraud in our educational system.
“While it is a parent’s obligation to teach their children morals and values with the hope they will grow into a productive member of society, it is also the responsibility of our educators – at every level - to reinforce those lessons, if not by their words, then certainly by their actions,” she continued. “ ‘Do as I say, not as I do,’ should not be part of any educator’s curriculum.”
“This diploma mill scandal is a black mark on New Jersey’s educational system,” stated O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth and Mercer. “This legislation is designed to end the manipulation of the system by the few who, unfortunately, have taken advantage of existing loopholes. It is imperative that schools officials meet high educational standards in order to set appropriate examples for students and provide them with the best education possible.”
Specifically, the bill, A-1894/S-826, provides that the following conditions must be met in order for a board of education to provide its employees with tuition assistance or additional compensation for academic credits or completion of a degree:
• The institution shall be a duly authorized institution of higher education.
• The employee shall obtain approval from the superintendent of schools prior to enrollment in any course for which tuition assistance is sought. In the case of a superintendent, the approval shall be obtained from the board of education; and
• The tuition assistance or additional compensation shall be provided only for a course or degree related to the employee’s current or future job responsibilities.
“Educators purchasing fraudulent degrees in an effort to increase their salaries at taxpayer expense is unconscionable,” commented Casagrande, R-Monmouth and Mercer.
“It’s this kind of abuse that is driving our highest-in-the-nation property tax rates. Reform of our educational system is key to reforming our property tax system. Our students and our taxpayers deserve no less.”
“This diploma mill scandal is an affront to every hardworking, honest school administrator who put in the time and effort to earn a degree from a legitimate institution,” said Rible, R-Monmouth. “Those who took short cuts and earned phony degrees by exploiting loopholes in the system not only cheated their colleagues who earned legitimate credentials, but they cheated their students and our taxpayers as well. They should be ashamed of themselves for tarnishing our state’s educational system, providing a poor example to students and bilking taxpayers of their hard-earned money.”
The bill now heads to Governor Chris Christie’s desk for his signature.
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