New Laws curtail Professional Development and Travel

In an effort to cut down on wasteful travel expenses and abuse in some districts, sweeping legislation is having a broad affect on travel and per diem reimbursements for educators and administrators.

The New Jersey Education Association canceled its summer professional development workshop because school superintendents are denying reimbursement costs.

"School districts have been cutting back on what they will approve," NJEA spokeswoman Kathy Coulibaly said.

In its recent magazine and on its Web site, the NJEA has noted that in addition to travel, school districts have been cutting back on expenses such as retirement events, plaques and awards. Those types of items were flagged in recent audits of the 31 urban Abbott districts as being discretionary rather than necessary.

The NJEA said the legislative intent of last year's accountability laws was to stop exorbitant and frivolous spending by some school administrators and board members, but the law wound up covering all district employees. The union plans to seek waivers for overnight conferences through this fall amid concerns that some events could face huge financial losses if participation rates plummet.

Read more from the article in the Atlantic City Press here

While the efforts to curtail outrageous abuses is admirable, the broad reach of this legislation stands to make travel to professional development conferences and other valuable events difficult.

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