Page 12 - 40thAnniversaryNJPSA

A HISTORY OF LEGAL ONE

LEGAL ONE (Law, Ethics and Governance for All Leaders, children that culminated in the groundbreaking Abbott v. Burke
including an Overview of New and Emerging Issues) has decisions. The Institute, formed through the efforts of Chief
become the leading provider of school law professional Counsel Robert Schwartz and Legal Counsel David Nash,
learning in the State of New Jersey and continues to working closely with Rutgers Law School, provided a means
establish a growing national presence. for school leaders to engage in deeper, sustained professional
learning regarding the legal responsibilities of school leaders in
LEGAL ONE was created in 2008, as part of the Foundation all aspects of school district operations.
for Educational Administration (FEA), with the mission of
empowering school leaders to confidently navigate the legal In 2007, the New Jersey Legislature passed a new
maze of state and federal law impacting our schools. It quickly requirement for all school leaders to engage in professional
expanded to meet the legal training needs of all stakeholders, development related to school law, ethics and governance.
including teachers, school counselors, school administrative That requirement was later expanded to include required
assistants, support personnel and maintenance staff, board training on harassment, intimidation, and bullying. In 2008, the
members, and parents. To date, LEGAL ONE has served, State Board of Education approved implementing regulations
(both virtually and in-person), thousands of school leaders outlining the details of required school law training for school
and other stakeholders from nearly every New Jersey school leaders.
district, and has expanded its reach from coast to coast.
As the professional organization representing the vast
The legal representation of school leaders has been a core majority of school leaders in the State of New Jersey, NJPSA
aspect of NJPSA since its founding. As an extension of this committed to taking a leadership role in meeting this new
legal representation, educating school leaders about our ever- requirement, to ensure that school leaders had access to
changing state and federal laws has been an important aspect timely, comprehensive, relevant, and sustained professional
of member services. For many years, NJPSA Chief Legal learning related to school law, ethics, and governance.
Counsel Robert Schwartz and NJPSA Legal Counsel Wayne Seeking to build on the successful Education Law and Policy
Oppito would provide regular updates for NJPSA members Institute, NJPSA partnered once again with Rutgers Law
on the latest developments in school law, including lessons School in meeting this new requirement. Recognizing the need
learned from case law involving school leaders. to be able to efficiently reach thousands of school leaders
across the state, NJPSA then sought to extend that partnership
In 2005, NJPSA/FEA took an important step forward in to include the Monmouth Ocean Educational Services
the school law arena with the creation of the Rutgers/FEA Commission, which had established itself as a leading provider
Education Law and Policy Institute, in partnership with Rutgers of online professional learning.
Law School. This partnership provided the opportunity to
collaborate with Professor Paul Tractenberg, a leader in the And so was born LEGAL ONE!
decades-long fight for educational equity for our state’s poorest