Article 4
PERSONNEL
Policy No. 4194
f/k/a 3.16
Personnel
Reduction-in-Force
A reduction-in-force of certificated staff members may be determined to be appropriate due to
declining enrollment in a grade or grades, changes in financial support, changes in curricular
programs, a decline in the taxable value of property located within the school district, increased
costs of operating the school district, or another change or changes in circumstances. The Board
of Education shall, in its sole discretion, determine whether such a change or changes have
occurred and whether a reduction of certificated staff is necessary. The Superintendent shall
notify those certificated employees whose contracts may be reduced, provided, however, that the
employment of a permanent employee may not be terminated through a reduction-in-force while
a probationary employee is retained to render service which such permanent employee is
qualified for by reason of certification and endorsement to perform or where a certification is not
applicable, by reason of college credits in the teaching area.
1.
Definition
A reduction-in-force shall consist of a reduction of one or more positions or reduction in
the percentage of employment of one or more certificated staff members, even if the
number or percentage of employment of the certificated staff overall may be increased by
other hirings or increases in the percentages of employment of other employees.
Reduction-in-force may result in the termination of employment or an amendment to an
employee’s contract reducing the extent of the employee’s employment.
2.
Administration
Due to the confidential and unique personal working relationship necessary between the
administration and the Board of Education, a certificated employee who is not currently
serving in a predominately administrative capacity shall have no rights under this policy
to any administrative position within the school system.
3.
Criteria
Employees will be reduced on the basis of what is good for the school district as
determined by the Board of Education. The selection of personnel for reduction in force
shall be made with consideration given to the following criteria which are not listed in
any order of importance.
A.
Programs to be offered.
B.
Areas of certification and endorsement which would be of present or future value
to the school district.
C.
State and federal regulations which may mandate certain employment practices.
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4.
PERSONNEL
Policy No. 4194
f/k/a 3.16
D.
Special qualifications acquired by specific training and/or experience.
E.
Contributions to district’s activity program.
F.
Qualifications based on past performance and competence as determined by the
principal, Superintendent, and/or other evaluator through employee evaluation
procedures.
G.
The organizational and educational effect created by multiple part-time
certificated employees.
H.
Any other reasons which are rationally related to the instruction in or
administration of the school system.
Definition of Terms
A.
Performance Evaluation
For purposes of reduction-in-force, performance evaluation shall be based upon a
minimum of one classroom observation per year for fifteen minutes. The
evaluation form shall be the document used for periodic evaluation of teacher’s
teaching performance.
B.
Endorsement
Endorsement shall mean the endorsement(s) as shown on each teacher’s Nebraska
Teaching Certificate.
C.
Special or Advanced Training
Special or advanced training shall mean the college credits or special training in a
teaching area, areas under consideration, or areas which contribute to the overall
quality of the school district.
D.
Contribution to the Activity Programs
Contribution to the activity program shall mean the employee’s involvement in
the programs and activities sponsored by the school district.
E.
Experience
Experience shall mean actual teaching experience on a full time equivalency basis
in the school district.
F.
Other Special or Advanced Training and/or Teaching Endorsements
Other special or advanced training and/or teaching endorsements shall mean the
college credit, other advanced training or endorsements on the Nebraska Teaching
Certificate of a teacher in areas other than the specific position(s) under
consideration.
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5.
PERSONNEL
Policy No. 4194
f/k/a 3.16
Use of Evaluation
If employee evaluations are to be used as a criterion in a reduction in force, the
comparison of evaluations shall be based on the most recent three years of evaluation.
For the purposes of this policy, employees shall be observed and evaluated at lease once
per year for a minimum of 15 minutes on the forms used for the periodic evaluation of
certificated staff members. If three years of evaluation are not available for an employee,
the comparison shall be made on the basis of the evaluations available for that employee.
6.
Uninterrupted Service
If, after consideration of the criteria set forth above, it is the opinion of the
Superintendent that no significant difference exists between or among certificated
employees being considered for reduction-in-force, the employee(s) with the longest
uninterrupted service to the district shall be retained. Uninterrupted length of service shall
be defined as the number of continuous full-time equivalent years of employment to the
district as a teacher.
7.
Dismissal With Honor: Right to Recall
Any certificated employee whose contract has been terminated shall be considered to
have been dismissed with honor and shall, upon request, be provided a letter to that
effect. Such employee shall have preferred rights to reemployment for a period of 24
months commencing at the end of the contract year, and the employee shall be recalled
on the basis of length of service to the school or any position for which he or she is
qualified by endorsement or college preparation to teach. Upon reemployment, a recalled
employee shall be placed on the salary schedule and provided fringe benefits based on
existing district policies and the current negotiated agreement. Any year or years of
absence from employment shall not be considered as a year or years of employment by
the district. An employee under contract to another educational institution may waive
recall, but such waiver shall not deprive the employee of his or her right to subsequent
recall.
8.
Filing of Endorsements
It shall be the responsibility of each certificated employee to file with the Superintendent
of schools a copy of the employee’s teaching certificate, including endorsement, upon
initial employment with the district. On or before March 15th of each year thereafter, for
so long as an employee is employed in the school system or has rights of recall, it shall be
the responsibility of the employee to file with the Superintendent evidence of any
changes in certification or endorsements which have occurred since March 15th of the
previous year or are pending.
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9.
PERSONNEL
Policy No. 4194
f/k/a 3.16
Filing a Change of Address; Offer of Recall
Any certificated employee whose employment contract has been terminated as a result of
reduction-in-force shall, during the period which he or she is eligible for recall, report his
or her current address to the Superintendent of schools and shall inform the
Superintendent of any changes of address thereafter. If a vacancy in the system occurs for
which an employee has right of recall, the offer of such employment may be sent by the
Superintendent to the employee's last known address. If the school district does not
receive written acceptance of such offer from the employee within ten days of mailing,
the employee shall be deemed to have waived his or her rights to recall and to said
employment position.
Date of Adoption: April, 1997
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Article 4
PERSONNEL
Policy No. 4194
f/k/a 3.16
REDUCTION-IN-FORCE CRITIQUE SCORE SHEET
EMERSON-HUBBARD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
______________________________________________________________________________
Name of Appraisee
Date
Years in System
______________________________________________________________________________
Position
Building Appraiser
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2
1
0
=
=
=
Satisfactory (4 points)
Needs Improvement (2 points)
Unsatisfactory (0 points)
Evaluation Report Summary
Classroom Organization & Management
Instructional/Teaching Techniques
Preparation & Planning
Evaluation Techniques
Professional Qualities
Personal Qualities
Interpersonal Relationships
2
CRITERION: (see explanations on back)
a) Certification and Endorsement
b) Seniority in District
c) Years of experience in position to be maintained
d) Educational preparation
e) Evaluation Report Summary
f) Present coaching and/or other salaried sponsorship
of programs designated to be maintained by the Board
of Education.
1
0
Critique Score
TOTAL:
Signature indicates this report has been discussed but does not necessarily indicate agreement.
Any rebuttal by the appraisee shall be written on the back of this score sheet.
____________________________________
Appraisee
Date
____________________________________
Appraiser
Date
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PERSONNEL
Policy No. 4194
f/k/a 3.16
(a) Certification and Endorsement
Fifteen points shall be awarded for endorsement in the position designated by Board of Education to be maintained.
Five additional points shall be awarded for each additional endorsement. The most recent copy of each potentially
affected certified employee's Nebraska Teaching Certificate in said employee's personnel folder shall be the only
document critiqued to determine a critique score awarded for this criterion. The critique score awarded for this
criterion shall NOT exceed thirty points.
(b) Seniority in District
One point for each year of present continuous service shall be awarded up a maximum of 30. Years of continuous
service shall mean years and/or partial years of active service performed under contract with the Board of Education.
A partial year shall mean active service for half or more days of a contract year. Absence from active service
granted by leave of absence by the Board of Education shall NOT be counted in the total year of continuous service.
Such absence shall NOT disrupt years of continuous service.
(c) Years of Experience in Position to be Maintained
Priority will be given to most recent experience. Three points shall be awarded for experience in said position for
service during current school year and for each year of experience during the immediate preceding four years. One
point shall be awarded for each year of experience in said position for any full year of service five or more years
preceding the current school year. Experience in any school district shall be critiqued for points in this category.
Any certified employee who has been reassigned and/or has requested and received a transfer to another position to
be affected by reduction-in-force who was originally employed to perform a service in the position designated to be
maintained shall be awarded the appropriate quantity of points as if he/she had always been continuously employed
in said designated position. The critique score awarded for this criterion shall NOT exceed thirty points and no
points shall be awarded for experience that is not verified in writing. Only said documentation on file in each
potentially affected certified employee's personnel folder will be critiqued.
(d) Education Preparation
Placement on the salary schedule shall determine the critique score for this criterion. Each certified employee
potentially affected by reduction-in-force shall be awarded a score reflecting which column he/she is currently
located on the salary schedule. The appropriate points to be awarded are:
3 points for BA+9 Hrs column
6 points for BA+18 Hrs column
9 points for BA+27 Hrs column
14 points for MA or BA+36 Hrs column
22 points for MA+18 Hrs column
(e) Employee Evaluation
The Emerson-Hubbard Schools will use employee evaluation as part of the determination for reduction-in-force.
Teachers will be observed in accordance with statute and board policy, Teachers will be observed for a period of
time not less than one instructional class period. The evaluation forms used will be those adopted by the Board of
Education as outlined in the manual, "Emerson-Hubbard Schools Certified Staff Supervision and Evaluation." This
manual is available for review at the administration offices. From these evaluations, the administration will derive
the "Evaluation Report Summary" that will be used for reduction-in-force. The "Evaluation Report Summary" is
explained as follows:
Four points shall be awarded for each category evaluated as Satisfactory, Two points shall be awarded for each
category evaluated as Needs Improvement. Zero points shall be awarded for each category evaluated as
Unsatisfactory, No such score less than zero shall be awarded for this criterion.
(f) Present Coaching and/or Other Paid Sponsorship of Programs Designated to be Maintained by the Board of
Education
Senior and Junior High present coaching and/or other paid sponsorships of programs designated to be maintained by
Board of Education shall be critiqued if there is no written request in personnel folder to be relieved of said
assignment by any certified employee potentially affected by reduction-in-force. No points shall be awarded to said
employee for each such request. Twenty points shall be awarded to each potentially affected certified employee for
each assignment as a head Senior High coach and/or head high school sponsor. Ten points shall be awarded to each
potentially affected certified employee for each assignment as a Senior High assistant coach, Junior High
head/assistant coach, and Co-head/assistant sponsor of Senior/Junior High activity. The critique score for this
criterion shall NOT exceed thirty points.
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