Keyport schools chief subject of probe State looks into conduct during tests, possible conflict of interests BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer A Snapple snafu is among the subjects of a state investigation into the Keyport School District. Schools Superintendent C. Daniel Blachford is under investigation by the state's Department of Education (DOE) for possible inappropriate behavior, including allegedly handing out Snapple drinks to students during Keyport's latest round of HSPA and GEPA testing. Adding fuel to the fire, complaints have also been sent to the state alleging Blachford violated ethics rules when he hired the Parsippany-based professional development firm EdSol Consol LLC, a company he is associated with as a volunteer. Blachford could not be reached for comment on this story. On Friday, DOE spokesman Richard Vespucci confirmed the district is being probed by the department's Office of Accountability and Fiscal Compliance. According to Keyport school board President Joseph Biagianti, the investigation relates to Blachford's actions during the testing, when he allegedly walked in and out of several classrooms, and also for handing out Snapple drinks, a violation under the state's strict snack guidelines. "As far as I know, someone filed a complaint with the state that there was inappropriate action during one of the tests," Biagianti said on Monday. "I guess it's OK if they give out water, but they can't give out sugar water," Biagianti added. Two state DOE officials came to Keyport to investigate the matter July 9, Biagianti said. "We asked if we could do the testing over again because our scores weren't that good," Biagianti said lightheartedly. The state's response was no. "It wasn't that the kids were cheating," Biagianti continued. "They weren't cheating, but the superintendent went through a couple of the rooms while they were testing." Biagianti said he couldn't elaborate on the details of the incident or why it is considered inappropriate. "I haven't the foggiest idea," Biagianti said. Perhaps more daunting are the complaints alleging Blachford violated ethics guidelines. Blachford, hired by the board in July 2006, is on the board of directors of EdSolution, a nonprofit leg of EdSol Consul LLC, a firm that, according to its Web site, provides various services to school districts such as professional training and the development of Web-based systems. Unlike EdSolution, EdSol Consol operates to produce a profit and employees are paid. Blachford serves as EdSolution's treasurer and is not paid a salary. In 2006, Keyport hired EdSol Consul for approximately $7,000 or $8,000, according to Biagianti, to conduct professional development training. "Someone filed charges [that] there may be some violation of ethics with the superintendent," Biagianti said "If my brother-in-law has, say, a lawn service, I cannot have the board hire that lawn service," Biagianti said, explaining that no member of his family is allowed to profit from his position as the board's president. Biagianti said he finds it doubtful that Blachford violated the ethics rule. "He might have. We don't know for sure," Biagianti said. "He just sits on their board of directors, but people do get a salary, so there's where the conflict might come in." Biagianti said the Keyport Board of Education knew Blachford was involved with EdSolution before they hired him last year. "When we were interviewing him for the job, he mentioned he was on this board of directors," Biagianti said. "We didn't think it was that big of a problem." So why is it a problem now? "In everybody's eyes, something is always something more than it should be," Biagianti said.