Double-Dipping by School Superintendents

Acting Superintendent of Schools, Cheryl Dyer,
at the July 23rd meeting of the Bridgewater-Raritan
Board of Education.

At the end of July, I received a not-for-attribution e-mail from a faithful reader pointing out that a paragraph in my July 23^rd post, Superintendent Bids Adieu may have been misleading. 

I appreciate receiving that missive, because it gives me a chance to expand upon what I wrote:

In it, I stated that “In New Jersey, a school superintendent is not allowed to retire from one school job and to take another in a different New Jersey school district, e.g., no double-dipping within the state.”

What I had in mind was that a superintendent retired with pay and benefits from a New Jersey School District cannot take another similar, permanent, full-time job in a different New Jersey public school district and still collect both sources of income.
To the best of my knowledge, that is still the case.

However, interstate double-dipping is legal.

Example:  A school superintendent could retire from his/her New Jersey position and accept a similar job in Pennsylvania while continuing to enjoy full retirement pay and benefits from The Garden State. 

That possibility is what now-retired Bridgewater-Raritan Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Schilder once considered when he interviewed for a super’s job in a nearby Pennsylvania school district.  (He since has withdrawn his application.)

But, and it’s a very big loophole,  there is a perfectly legal cottage industry within this state featuring retired New Jersey school superintendents who apply for and who obtain positions as interim superintendents, while collecting full retirement pay and benefits.

The Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education may circumvent that practice by appointing an internal candidate.

Immediately after a closed session late on the evening of Tuesday, July 23^rd, the Board authorized “Board President Patrick Breslin, with the guidance and support of Board Counsel, to negotiate with Cheryl Dyer an employment contract for Interim Superintendent.” 

If the proposed contract is approved “by the Executive County Superintendent, the contract will be presented to the Board of Education for formal approval at its August 27, 2013 Board of Education Meeting.”

Ms. Dyer is currently serving as Acting Superintendent of Schools in this school district.