POLICY MANUAL - Calhoun County Schools

Prior to commencing action to terminate tenured teacher contracts, theSuperintendent and the Board of Education will first consider staff reductions thatmay be achieved through voluntary retirements, voluntary resignations, voluntarytransfers, voluntary leaves of absence, and administration-initiated transfers.Based on the philosophy of maintaining the best educational program possible, theBoard, upon recommendation of the Superintendent, shall identify grade levelsand/or discipline/program areas from which staff members occupying certificatedpositions are to be reduced in force. For the purpose of reduction in force (layoff),the following items are defined:a. Grade Levels: Pre-school; K-6; 7-12; and such other grade level(s)or combinations thereof as the Board, based upon therecommendation of the Superintendent, may deem appropriateunder particular circumstances.b. Discipline/Program Areas: administration and supervision; specialeducation; counseling and guidance; vocational programs; federalprograms; subject matter or certificate/endorsement areas; and/orother teaching or administrative assignment area(s).Following the identification of the Grade Levels and/or Discipline/Program Areas, thenumber of staff to be reduced from each area will be determined by the Board,based on a recommendation of the Superintendent.In accomplishing the necessary reductions, non-tenured personnel in the specificallyidentified areas will be terminated before tenured personnel, based uponobjective, nondiscriminatory criteria.In the event that tenured personnel must be released, such personnel within eachidentified area will be rank ordered from the greatest amount of continuousservice time (seniority) to the least amount of continuous service time within theschool system. The staff members with the least continuous service time, basedon actual date of employment as reflected in the Board minutes, shall be the firstreduced in force, with lay-off continuing in like manner until the necessaryreduction is accomplished. In the event two or more staff members have thesame amount of continuous service time within the school system based onBoard minutes, the following additional criteria will be considered:a. Length or total number years teaching service in the school system(i.e., consideration of non-continuous years).b. Length or total number years of experience in education.c. Degrees and/or certifications held by the staff members (lowestdegree/certification to be reduced first).A tenured staff member selected for lay-off by this procedure may displace a staffmember in another Discipline/Program Area and/or Grade Level who has lesscontinuous service time ONLY IF the displacing staff member is fully certified andotherwise eligible (including Highly Qualified status as appropriate) for the entireposition of the employee he/she seeks to displace. No tenured teacher will be