SB178:

Public school teachers; probationary term of service, grounds for dismissal, and dismissal hearings.

Bill Summary:

Public school teachers; probationary term of
service, grounds for dismissal, and dismissal hearings. Permits
each school board to extend for up to two additional years the three-year
probationary term of service that is required for each teacher in
the school division before the issuance of a continuing contract
and prohibits each school board from reemploying a teacher whose
performance evaluation during such probationary period is not satisfactory.
The bill provides that, for the purpose of the dismissal of a teacher
for cause, the term "incompetency" may be construed to include consistent
failure to meet the endorsement requirements for the position or
one or more unsatisfactory performance evaluations. The bill also
eliminates the option for a school board to conduct a teacher dismissal
hearing before a three-member fact-finding panel, requires each such
hearing to be set no later than 15 days after the request for the
hearing, and reduces from 10 days to five days the minimum period
of advance written notice to the teacher of the time and place of
such hearing.