TEACHER TENURE LAW

From: Subject: TEACHER TENURE LAW Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:28:48 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C91758.832C01B0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C91758.832C01B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2002/olrdata/ed/rpt/2002-R-0469.htm TEACHER TENURE LAW

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April 22, 2002		2002-R-0469
TEACHER = TENURE=20 LAW
By: Judith = Lohman, Chief=20 Analyst

You asked for a summary of the = teacher=20 tenure law (CGS =A7 10-151).

SUMMARY

The teacher tenure law sets out = strict=20 termination and due process requirements for teachers, whether or not = they=20 have tenure. It covers certified professional employees below the rank = of=20 superintendent employed by a board of education for at least 90 days = in a=20 position that requires certification.

Covered teachers first hired after = July 1,=20 1996 attain tenure after working for 40 school months, if their = contracts are=20 renewed for the following school year. Teachers who attain tenure with = one=20 board of education and who are reemployed by the same or another board = after a=20 break in service attain tenure after 20 school months of continuous=20 employment, if their contracts are renewed for the following school = year.=20

Tenured teachers have their = contracts=20 automatically renewed from year-to-year; can be dismissed only for six = statutorily specified reasons; and have the right to (1) bump = untenured=20 teachers in positions for which they are qualified if their positions = are=20 eliminated, (2) written notice of the reasons for termination, (3) a=20 termination hearing before the board of education or an impartial = hearing=20 panel, and (4) appeal the results of the hearing to Superior Court.=20

Untenured teachers must be (1) = employed=20 under a written contract; (2) notified by April 1 if their contracts = are not=20 being renewed for the following year; (3) given written reasons for=20 termination or nonrenewal on request; (4) allowed a hearing before the = board=20 of education or an impartial hearing panel on the termination; and (5) = if the=20 termination is for moral misconduct or disability, granted the right = to appeal=20 to Superior Court.

REASONS FOR = DISMISSAL

A teacher may be dismissed only = for:=20

1. inefficiency or incompetence = based on=20 evaluations that comply with State Board of Education guidelines for=20 evaluations;

2. insubordination against = reasonable board=20 of education rules;

3. moral misconduct;

4. disability proven by medical = evidence;=20

5. elimination of the position to = which he=20 was appointed or loss of a position another teacher, as long as there = is no=20 other position for which the teacher is qualified and subject to the=20 applicable provisions of a collective bargaining agreement or school = board=20 policy; or

6. other due and sufficient cause. =

Before they become tenured, = teachers can=20 also be notified in writing by April 1 of each school year that their=20 contracts will not be renewed for the coming year. The board does not = have to=20 specify any reason for nonrenewal unless the teacher files a written = request=20 for the reason. If the teacher makes such a request, the board must = supply a=20 reason within seven days.

DISMISSAL PROCESS AND TIMETABLE = - TENURED=20 TEACHERS

School boards must follow a specific = statutory=20 process when dismissing both tenured and nontenured teachers. The = process=20 requires notice, a hearing, and a right to appeal.

Notice and Right to a=20 Hearing

The law requires local school boards = to follow=20 the steps and timetable shown in Table 1 when notifying a tenured = teacher that=20 it is considering his termination.

Table 1: Tenured = Teacher=20

Pre-Hearing = Termination=20 Process

*Action*	*Deadline*
School board notifies = teacher in=20 writing that it is considering termination.
Teacher files written = request asking=20 the board to state its reasons.	Seven days after teacher = receives=20 notice of potential termination.
Board notifies teacher in = writing of=20 reasons.	Seven days after board = receives=20 request.
Teacher files written = request for a=20 hearing.	Within 20 days after teacher = receives=20 termination notice.

Hearing and Hearing=20 Panel

The board may hear the case itself = or may=20 designate a subcommittee of three or more board members to hear the = case. The=20 board may convene an impartial hearing panel, if the teacher requests = it or=20 the board designates one. The parties may also agree to a hearing = before an=20 impartial hearing officer chosen by both parties. If the parties = cannot agree=20 on a hearing officer within five days after they decide to use one, = the=20 hearing must be held before either the board or a hearing panel. The = hearing=20 panel consists of three members, one chosen by the teacher, one by the = board,=20 and a chairman chosen by these two members.

If the two members cannot agree, = the third=20 member must be selected with the help of the American Arbitration = Association=20 (AAA), using its expedited process and rules for selecting neutral = grievance=20 arbitrators. If these procedures do not work after five days, the = board of=20 education or a subcommittee must hear the case. Each party pays its = own panel=20 member and splits the cost of the third and all other hearing costs.=20

The hearing, decision, and appeal = timetable=20 is shown in Table 2.

Table 2: = Hearing, Decision,=20 and Appeal Timetable

Hearings begin. Hearings may = be public=20 at the teacher's request or if designated by the board. The = teacher may=20 appear and be represented by counsel.	Within 15 days after the = board=20 receives the hearing request. The parties may mutually agree to = extend=20 this deadline for a maximum of 15 days.
Board subcommittee, panel, = or hearing=20 officer submits written findings and recommendations to the full = board=20 concerning the case and sends a copy to the teacher. =	Within 75 days after the = hearing=20 request unless the parties agree to extend for a maximum of 15 = days.=20
Board gives teacher its = written=20 decision.	Within 15 days of receiving = the=20 recommendations. If the hearing takes place before the full = board,=20 within 15 days after the close of the hearing. =
Board furnishes a copy of = the hearing=20 transcript if the teacher requests one in writing and pays the = cost.=20	Within 15 days of the = decision.=20
Teacher may appeal board's = decision to=20 Superior Court.	Within 30 days after the = decision.=20

Despite the foregoing = requirements, the law=20 gives a school board the right to suspend a teacher from duty = immediately and=20 without prejudice when serious misconduct is charged.

DISMISSAL PROCESS FOR = NONTENURED=20 TEACHERS

Nontenured teachers have many of = the same=20 termination rights as tenured teachers. But they can also be dismissed = by=20 simple nonrenewal of their contracts, if they are notified by April 1. = If a=20 teacher files a written request, the board must supplement the = nonrenewal=20 notice with a written statement of its reasons for nonrenewal within = seven=20 days of receiving the request.

Nontenured teachers may be = "bumped" by=20 tenured teachers whose positions are eliminated. Bumping must occur in = accordance with a collective bargaining agreement or, if there is = none, with a=20 written policy of the board.

Nontenured teachers dismissed = because their=20 positions were eliminated or they were bumped have no right to a = hearing.=20 Otherwise, like a tenured teacher, a nontenured teacher has 20 days = after=20 receiving notice of nonrenewal or termination to file a written = request for a=20 hearing, either before the board or, if the hearing request specifies = it and=20 the board designates, an impartial hearing panel appointed as = described above.=20 The hearing must begin within 15 days of the request, unless the = parties agree=20 to an extension of not more than 15 days, and must be conducted in the = same=20 way as a tenured teacher's hearing.

Unlike tenured teachers, = nontenured teachers=20 cannot appeal board decisions to Superior Court unless the dismissal = is for=20 moral misconduct or disability.

COURT APPEALS

If a teacher appeals a dismissal = to Superior=20 Court, the court must treat it as a privileged case and hear it as = soon as=20 practicable. The board must file the hearing transcript and other = relevant=20 documents with the court. The court must review the record and allow = the=20 parties to introduce new evidence if equitable disposition of the case = requires it. The court may affirm or reverse the board's decision but = is not=20 allowed to assess costs against the board unless it finds the board = acted with=20 gross negligence, malice, or bad faith.

JL: ts

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