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S.B. 73 Enrolled

             1     

PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER TENURE MODIFICATIONS

             2     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

             5     
House Sponsor: Bradley G. Last

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends the Utah Orderly School Termination Procedures Act to prohibit a
             10      school district from using certain termination policies.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    prohibits a school district from utilizing a last-hired, first-fired layoff policy when
             14      reducing staff;
             15          .    requires the Education Interim Committee, in consultation with the State Board of
             16      Education, to study how the performance of teachers may be evaluated for the
             17      purpose of awarding or eliminating teacher career employee status;
             18          .    defines terms; and
             19          .    makes technical changes.
             20      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             21          None
             22      Other Special Clauses:
             23          None
             24      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             25      AMENDS:
             26          53A-8-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 348
             27          53A-8-107, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1999, Chapter 324
             28      Uncodified Material Affected:
             29      ENACTS UNCODIFIED MATERIAL


             30     
             31      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             32          Section 1. Section 53A-8-102 is amended to read:
             33           53A-8-102. Definitions.
             34          As used in this chapter:
             35          (1) "Career employee" means an employee of a school district who has obtained a
             36      reasonable expectation of continued employment based upon Section 53A-8-106 and an
             37      agreement with the employee or the employee's association, district practice, or policy.
             38          (2) "Contract term" or "term of employment" means the period of time during which an
             39      employee is engaged by the school district under a contract of employment, whether oral or
             40      written.
             41          (3) "Dismissal" or "termination" means:
             42          (a) termination of the status of employment of an employee;
             43          (b) failure to renew or continue the employment contract of a career employee beyond
             44      the then-current school year;
             45          (c) reduction in salary of an employee not generally applied to all employees of the
             46      same category employed by the school district during the employee's contract term; or
             47          (d) change of assignment of an employee with an accompanying reduction in pay,
             48      unless the assignment change and salary reduction are agreed to in writing.
             49          (4) "Employee" means a career or provisional employee of a school district, but does
             50      not include:
             51          (a) the district superintendent, or the equivalent at the Schools for the Deaf and the
             52      Blind;
             53          (b) the district business administrator or the equivalent at the Schools for the Deaf and
             54      the Blind; or
             55          (c) a temporary employee.
             56          (5) "Last-hired, first-fired layoff policy" means a staff reduction policy that mandates
             57      the termination of an employee who started to work for the district most recently before


             58      terminating a more senior employee.
             59          [(5)] (6) "Provisional employee" means an individual, other than a career employee or
             60      a temporary employee, who is employed by a school district.
             61          [(6)] (7) "School board" or "board" means a district school board or its equivalent at
             62      the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
             63          [(7)] (8) "School district" or "district" means:
             64          (a) a public school district; or
             65          (b) the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
             66          [(8)] (9) "Temporary employee" means an individual who is employed on a temporary
             67      basis as defined by policies adopted by the local board of education. If the class of employees
             68      in question is represented by an employee organization recognized by the local board, the board
             69      shall adopt its policies based upon an agreement with that organization. Temporary employees
             70      serve at will and have no expectation of continued employment.
             71          Section 2. Section 53A-8-107 is amended to read:
             72           53A-8-107. Necessary staff reduction not precluded -- Last-hired, first-fired
             73      layoffs prohibited.
             74          (1) Nothing in this chapter prevents staff reduction if necessary to reduce the number
             75      of employees because of the following:
             76          [(1)] (a) declining student enrollments in the district;
             77          [(2)] (b) the discontinuance or substantial reduction of a particular service or program;
             78          [(3)] (c) the shortage of anticipated revenue after the budget has been adopted; or
             79          [(4)] (d) school consolidation.
             80          (2) A school district may not utilize a last-hired, first-fired layoff policy when
             81      terminating school district employees.
             82          (3) A school district may consider the following factors when terminating a school
             83      district employee:
             84          (a) the results of an employee's performance evaluation; and
             85          (b) a school's personnel needs.


             86          Section 3. Education Interim Committee study on performance based evaluations.
             87          During the 2011 interim, the Education Interim Committee, in consultation with the
             88      State Board of Education, shall study how the performance of teachers may be evaluated for
             89      the purpose of awarding or eliminating teacher career employee status.


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