State Relaxes Superintendent Qualifications, Permits Non-Educators To Apply

The New Jersey Board of Education relaxed its administrative requirements last week -- struggling school districts can now hire superintendents that do not have education backgrounds.

New Jersey isn't the first to loosen requirements for superintendents, as other states have allowed districts to do the same in hopes of finding stronger managers with business experience, the Associated Press reports.

The relaxed policy applies to more than 50 New Jersey districts with failing schools, The Star-Ledger reports. Now, superintendent applicants for struggling districts must have a bachelor's degree and strong managerial experience, versus a master's degree and meeting several other requirements for applicants to better performing districts.

"These jobs require the administrative skills gained from having run a successful business," Board of Education Vice President Ilan Plawker told the Star-Ledger "Our end goal is a business product - getting our kids through school and ready for work or college."

Critics of the move argue that the most successful superintendents must have classroom experience as well.

In a separate move last week, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie revealed plans to limit superintendent salaries and pay the administrators based on the number of students they serve and grant bonuses linked to student performance. This announcement means pay cuts for 366 superintendents and comes just before New York City schools elected to discontinue its teacher bonus program that tied educator incentives to student achievement.