3120 - EMPLOYMENT OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF
The Board of Education recognizes that it is vital to the successful operation of the District that positions created by the Board be filled with highly qualified and competent personnel.
The Board shall approve the employment, and also, when not covered by the terms of a negotiated, collectively-bargained agreement, fix the compensation and establish the term of employment for each professional staff member employed by the Board.
Such approval shall be given only to those candidates for employment recommended by the Superintendent or by another individual designated by the Board in the event that the Superintendent's nomination would be a violation of R.C. 2921.42.
Relatives of Board members may be employed by the Board, provided a member of the Board does not participate in any way in the discussion or vote on the employment when a conflict of interest is involved.
Relatives of staff members may be employed by the Board, provided the staff member being employed is not placed in a position in which s/he is supervised directly by the relative staff member.
Applications for employment will not be accepted from any current Board member. If a Board member wishes to apply for a position, his/her resignation must be accepted by the Board prior to submitting an application and the Board member must not use or attempt to use his/her official authority or influence to secure the employment position.
Any professional staff member's intentional misstatement of fact material to qualifications for employment or the determination of salary shall be considered by this Board to constitute grounds for dismissal.
The employment of professional staff members prior to approval by the Board is authorized when their employment is required to maintain continuity in the educational program. Employment shall be recommended to the Board at the next regular meeting.
No candidate for employment as a professional staff member shall receive recommendation for such employment without having proffered visual evidence of proper licensing or that application for such licensing is in process. Said licensing shall meet the minimum requirements of State law for the position for which s/he is being recommended.
The Superintendent may, however, recommend to the Board the employment of an unlicensed person if s/he holds a baccalaureate degree and is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States and has been honorably discharged within the last three (3) years, and while in the armed services, had meaningful experience as a teacher or instructor, and the right to teach without a license has not been revoked by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
If such a person is employed, s/he shall be considered to be eligible for and must fulfill the professional development standards required of other professional staff members.
If the Superintendent, after proper investigation, determines that the person no longer should have the right to teach, s/he may be terminated without regard to R.C. 3319.11 and R.C. 3319.16.
Professional staff must also pass a background check performed by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (see Policy 3121).
The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines for the recruitment and selection of all professional staff.
REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHERS
Teachers must hold a valid license issued by the State to teach in all areas of assignment. Teachers who instruct in core subject areas must be properly certified/licensed as required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (“ESEA”), and State law. A properly licensed/certified teacher is defined as a teacher who has successfully completed all requirements for certification/licensure and holds a license applicable to all grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction and the students to whom the teacher provides the instruction. “Core subject areas” include reading, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, and Fine Arts.
The following teaching license types may be considered eligible for proper certification/licensure in a core subject area:
- Resident Educator/Alternative Resident Educator License
- Professional Educator License
- Senior Professional Educator License
- Lead Professional Educator License
- One-Year Out-of-State License
- Supplemental License
- Visiting International Teacher License
The Superintendent shall report State certification and licensure status for every teacher at least annually in accordance with State and Federal law. At the start of the school year, the Superintendent shall notify parents/guardians of each student enrolled in the District that they may request information about the professional qualifications of each classroom teacher who provides instruction to the student. Upon request of the parent/guardian, the District will provide information about each teacher assigned to provide instruction to their student(s) in a timely manner. The information will include whether the teacher has satisfied all requirements for certification/licensure or whether the teacher provides instruction under a waiver.
Confirmation of Licensure
As a prerequisite to employee pay, the Superintendent must first issue to the Treasurer a written statement that confirms each teacher and/or professional employee has filed with the Superintendent both a copy of all valid licenses as well as copies of any reports required by the State Board or this Board to demonstrate his/her qualification to teach in all assigned subject and grade levels of instruction and/or a professional educator position. No professional staff member employed in a position for which licensure is required may be paid until evidence of such appropriate licensure for the subject area, grade level, or position, etc. has been received by the Superintendent and transmitted to the Treasurer.
Revised 1/14/03
Revised 12/19/06
Revised 12/18/08
Revised 11/21/13
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