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  • Listening, Learning, and Leading Forward: The 2025 Member Survey 

     

    Dear Colleagues,

    Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2025 NJASA Member Survey. The feedback we received was candid, clear, and invaluable. It provides a powerful roadmap for how we can better serve you and strengthen our profession. 

    Your responses reaffirmed the immense value of NJASA's core services. We are proud that our members continue to rely on our:

    • Legislative Updates (96% approval)
    • Legal Resources (91% approval)
    • Women’s Leadership Conference (88% approval)
    • Professional Development Programs (86% approval)


    At the same time, you challenged us to improve. From the timing and location of the Spring Conference to the need for more targeted professional development, your message is clear: accessibility and relevance must drive our planning. We hear you—and we are already acting.


    Here are the key themes from your feedback and the steps we are taking:

    1. Making Professional Development More Inclusive and Accessible - You asked for more differentiated offerings, especially for smaller districts, charter schools, and leaders in non-superintendent roles.

    • Our Action Plan: We are expanding online programming, developing regionally hosted events to reduce travel, and creating specialized tracks for new superintendents, directors, and managers. We are also actively reevaluating the Spring Conference venue and timing to avoid conflicts with testing schedules.

    2. Expanding Our Legal and Ethical Support - Your appreciation for our legal services was clear, but so was the need for broader support, especially for leaders navigating difficult board dynamics.

    • Our Action Plan: In the coming year, we will increase the scope and visibility of our legal resources. Expect more proactive guidance on ethical leadership and new opportunities for peer-to-peer support through the NJASA Advisory Network.

    3. Building a More Connected Community - Some members, particularly those in non-superintendent roles or from geographically distant districts, noted a sense of disconnection.

    • Our Action Plan: We are committed to fostering stronger connections through more virtual forums, regional roundtables, and expanded committee roles. Expect new opportunities to connect, collaborate, and lead—no matter your title or location.

    4. Strengthening Advocacy in a Shifting Political Climate - Many of you highlighted the intense pressures from school boards and political entities.

    • Our Action Plan: NJASA is redoubling its commitment to be your staunchest advocate. We will amplify our voice on critical issues, including fair school funding, superintendent protections, and the preservation of local decision-making.

    5. Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders - You reinforced the importance of cultivating and supporting new leaders to ensure the future health of our profession.

    • Our Action Plan: We will build on the success of our New Superintendents Academy and mentorship programs. By expanding our NJASA Advisory Network, we will create more intentional pathways for new and aspiring leaders to connect with seasoned professionals, building the resilience and confidence needed to lead effectively.


    Your honest feedback is the engine of our progress. While we celebrate our strengths, we embrace the opportunity to do more, reach further, and lead better—together.


    These findings remind us that NJASA is strong because its members are strong—and honest. Your insights help shape our direction, and your engagement fuels our mission. While we celebrate our progress, we also embrace the opportunity to do more, reach further, and lead better.


    Thank you for your continued commitment to the children of New Jersey and to the collective strength of our Association.


    With gratitude and resolve,
    Richard G. Bozza, Ed.D.
    Executive Director
    New Jersey Association of School Administrators