School boards would weigh teacher performance in staffing choices

School boards and academy directors must use clear procedures and consider a teacher’s job performance in personnel decisions. This applies to school district and intermediate school district boards and public school academy directors making personnel decisions under this section. Other relevant factors may also be used.

Boards may consider relevant special training only under the stated limits. These limits apply when a board uses a teacher’s special training as a factor in personnel decisions. Training must be integrated into teaching in a meaningful way. Professional development or continuing education required by an employer or state law does not qualify on its own. Coursework must provide degree-eligible credit from an accredited higher education institution and appear on an official transcript with a letter grade. Pass/fail or completion-only work counts only if converted to a letter grade under the institution’s standards.

Boards may not use length of service as the only factor in specified personnel decisions, but may use it to break a tie. This applies to public school district, intermediate district, and public school academy decisions about vacancies, promotions, classroom placements, staffing or program cuts, and other decisions that eliminate a position. Collective bargaining agreements must include at least the standards in this section. Length of service may break a tie only when two or more employees are otherwise equal on all factors that distinguish them.