(a) Each district board of education shall designate an in-district administrative position to oversee the preschool program. A dedicated in-district early childhood supervisor is required at a ratio of one for every 750 enrolled preschool children, minus students enrolled in school district stand-alone early childhood education buildings. For school districts with fewer than 750 enrolled preschool children, the early childhood supervisor position may be combined with another in-district school administrator position with the same certification and qualifications required of an early childhood supervisor or, as approved by the Department in the school district's three-year preschool program plan and/or annual update, may be contracted for with a county or regional educational services commission approved by the State Board to do so.
1. Each district board of education shall ensure that in-district early childhood supervisors and administrators of in-district buildings with preschool children hold the appropriate New Jersey supervisor endorsement or principal certificate, have at least three years of experience in preschool education, and participate in annual training specific to preschool program planning and implementation, the school district's comprehensive preschool curriculum, and assessment.
i. Administrators who oversee in-district buildings that include preschool classrooms but are not stand-alone early childhood education or preschool buildings, and who do not possess at least three years of experience in preschool education, shall acquire knowledge of the content and skills relevant to working with preschoolaged children through training, coursework, and/or professional development, as determined and provided for by the school district.
2. In-district administrators and/or supervisors of preschool programs shall ensure the coordination of all elements of a high-quality preschool program within the school district, including all private providers and local Head Start agencies. The responsibilities of the in-district administrators and/or supervisors of preschool programs shall include:
i. Developing and implementing the preschool budget, three-year preschool program plan and/or annual update, and professional development plans;
ii. Contributing to the development of long-range facilities plans;
iii. Supervising registration, recruitment, and outreach efforts;
iv. Overseeing contractual compliance with private provider and local Head Start agencies;
v. Collaborating and communicating with the school district office of special services;
vi. Facilitating transition initiatives in collaboration with early intervention programs and other preschool to kindergarten through third grade administrators;
vii. Where applicable, meeting regularly with private providers and local Head Start agencies to foster collaboration and program implementation, including, but not limited to, fiscal and curriculum information;
viii. Overseeing the implementation of the comprehensive preschool curriculum and performance-based assessment;
ix. Providing assistance to all staff responsible for the implementation of appropriate early childhood practices within the preschool program;
x. Administering strategies designed to help teachers and other professionals optimize children's learning and development in all domains;
xi. Coordinating annual program evaluation;
xii. Hiring, supervising, and ensuring evaluation of all in-district staff funded by the preschool programmatic budget; and
xiii. Ensuring each private provider and local Head Start agency implements a system for classroom teacher observations.
