NJ STRIVE welcomed human resources leaders from across New Jersey in October for its annual Professional Development Conference, hosted by the West Windsor Plainsboro Regional School District. The day long, members only event brought together HR directors, administrators, and district leaders to examine the evolving legal and practical landscape surrounding diversity, recruitment, and equitable staffing in public schools.
This year’s theme, Diversity in Our Schools: The Shrinking Legal Toolkit, acknowledged the growing pressures districts face, from political backlash to budget shifts to rising community fears around even discussing diversity, equity, or inclusion. NJ STRIVE leadership opened the conference by recognizing these challenges while emphasizing the consortium’s long standing collective strength.
“As you look around this room, diversity is our strength,” Charity Comella, president of NJ STRIVE and assistant superintendent for personnel at the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District said. “We come from districts large and small, from brand new HR directors to seasoned veterans, and we learn from one another. Despite the noise, we know the good work we have done together and the impact it has had across the state.”
The keynote address was delivered by David B. Rubin, Esq., one of New Jersey’s most respected school law attorneys and a nationally recognized authority on diversity and constitutional law in public education. Rubin, who has represented school districts for nearly 50 years and litigated more than 50 published cases, provided a candid and practical walkthrough of what remains legally permissible in promoting diversity and what has never been lawful, despite renewed national attention.
Rubin unpacked the legal frameworks that govern district decision making, including the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, which is significantly broader than its federal counterparts. He outlined how different levels of judicial scrutiny apply depending on the basis for district actions, and clarified how recent federal court rulings, including Students for Fair Admissions, shape what districts can and cannot do.
A central takeaway was clear. Districts may not use an individual person’s race as the deciding factor in a hiring, assignment, admissions, or layoff decision, but they may still pursue race conscious goals using race neutral tools. Those tools include diversifying applicant pools, targeted recruitment, adjusting attendance boundaries, building magnet programs, and creating welcoming workplace environments to ensure broader participation. Rubin emphasized that federal executive orders and Dear Colleague letters do not change the law, regardless of political pressure.
“Much of what the federal government now claims is newly illegal has been unlawful for decades,” Rubin explained. “But many strategies districts rely on to broaden pipelines and strengthen representation remain fully permissible. The law requires nuance, not panic.”
Following the keynote, attendees participated in three rounds of breakout sessions led by partner vendors and member districts. Sessions included discussions on equitable accommodations, recruitment strategies, and a presentation on artificial intelligence delivered by a NJ STRIVE member district. All materials were accessible through a digital flipbook available by QR code at each table.
In closing, NJ STRIVE leaders reflected on how member districts have continuously improved hiring practices by standardizing protocols, expanding candidate pools, and collaborating across districts, a collective effort now more important than ever.
“We have consistently come together to strengthen our processes and widen our pipelines,” the closing remarks noted. “Today reaffirmed that while the environment is shifting, our mission is steady and still legally sound.”
NJ STRIVE will continue to support member districts throughout the year with ongoing networking, collaboration, job fairs, and guidance as districts navigate an increasingly complex legal and political climate. See the full Professional Development Day 2025 page for photos and the program.