Editor’s note: The message below from Dr. Timothy Purnell, executive director and CEO of the NJSBA, was originally emailed to members on Thursday, April 17, at 5:22 p.m.
Dear Members,
As many of you may be aware, on April 3, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) sent letters to state commissioners overseeing K-12 state education agencies requiring them to certify their compliance with their antidiscrimination obligations in order to continue receiving federal financial assistance. Specifically, the USDE requested certification of compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the responsibilities outlined in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. A copy of the letter can be accessed here. A press release USDE issued along with the certification letter can be found on the USDE website.
(On April 17), NJ Commissioner of Education Kevin Dehmer submitted the state’s response to the letter along with a corresponding broadcast memo. The memo indicates that “the response is based on the same principles articulated in the NJDOE’s March 6, 2025 broadcast memo, and clarifies the commitment that the NJDOE and New Jersey Local Education Agencies (LEAs) already make to fully comply with all state and federal laws and to provide protections that empower all students to realize their full potential.”
The statement also reiterates its prior certification of compliance with the requirements of Title VI, which was provided to the USDE in 2017 as part of the NJDOE’s Every Student Succeeds Act Consolidated State Plan, which remains in effect. It also affirms that New Jersey local education agencies annually certify compliance with Title VI as part of the NJDOE’s grant administration process; these existing LEA certifications also remain in effect.
The memo clarifies that New Jersey LEAs do not need to complete and submit the certification form provided in USDE’s Request for Certification because all LEAs previously attested to their compliance with Title VI as part of their annual grant application process. For this reason, certifications related to this request from USDE sent to NJDOE by LEAs will not be submitted to USDE.
A copy of the broadcast memo can be accessed on the NJDOE website here. The full response from the NJDOE to the USDE can be found here.
The NJSBA continues to monitor developments in Washington and will continue to keep the membership apprised of any actions that impact boards of education and our schools. We understand that these are uncertain times filled with many open questions. Even under the most challenging circumstances, the NJSBA remains focused on our primary mission – to advance the achievement of all students through effective governance. Thank you all for your support of this mission, and more importantly, for your service and dedication to the children of New Jersey.
Very truly yours,
Timothy Purnell, Ed.D.
Executive Director/CEO New Jersey School Boards Association
