New Teacher Contracts in North Carolina Understanding the Implications of Section 9.6 from Senate Bill 402

Current Teacher Contracts A fully licensed teacher that works for four consecutive years with one school system and has a clear license and proficient evaluations throughout this time is awarded career status. During the four year tenure-track term, the teacher has probationary status. A teacher that is hired late and doesn’t work an entire year and/or is not fully licensed has temporary status.

Excellent Public Schools Act of 2013 Eliminates career status of all “teachers” by July 1, Any teacher who did not attain career status in their current LEA prior to the school year cannot attain career status. This includes probationary teachers and teachers new to an LEA who previously earned career status in another system. BOTTOM LINE: If you didn’t get career status in the LEA in which you were employed in , then you won’t be getting it. These teachers, and all newly hired teachers, are considered probationary teachers during the school year.

Excellent Public Schools Act of 2013 The Excellent Public Schools Act of 2013 provides that beginning September 1, 2013, the superintendent must review the performance and evaluations of all teachers who have been employed by the board of education for at least three consecutive years. Based on this review, the superintendent must identify and recommend to the board twenty-five percent (25%) of those teachers who have been employed by the board for at least three consecutive years to be offered four-year contracts to be effective beginning with the 2014–2015 school year. The local board of education shall review the superintendent’s recommendation and may approve that recommendation or may select other teachers as part of the 25% to offer four-year contracts, but the local board shall not offer any teacher a four-year contract unless that teacher has shown effectiveness as demonstrated by proficiency on the teacher evaluation instrument.

The 25% Rule… Specifically, beginning September 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, career status teachers and probationary teachers may be offered a four-year contract effective at the start of the school year if all of the following apply: The teacher has three (3) consecutive years of service with the school system; The teacher has shown effectiveness as demonstrated by proficiency on the teacher evaluation instrument; The teacher is selected by the Board of Education following the recommendation from the Superintendent, based on performance and evaluations (Note: only 25% of teachers with at least 3 consecutive years of service may be selected); and The contract offer is accepted no later than June 30, 2014.

25% Rule If a teacher is offered and accepts a 4-year contract ( ), they also get: $500 annual pay raise for each year of the contract. $500 annual (cumulative) pay raise = $5,000 total over the next 4 years.

Understanding Teacher Contracts in North Carolina Four Year Contract The $500 is added to the teacher’s base salary every year. So a teacher whose base salary would be $40,000 would earn the following over the four years: Step increases or raises which might occur in state budgeting would change the above but our understanding is that the additional $500 to base will be included yearly 25% of which teachers? From 9.6(g) of SB 402: “…the superintendent shall identify and recommend to the local board twenty-five percent (25%) of those teachers employed by the local board for at least three consecutive years to be awarded four-year contracts beginning with the school year.”

New State Statutes Governing Teacher Effectiveness and Contract Awards Time Line August 2013 Career Status can no longer be awarded School Year September 1, 2013 – May 1, 2014 Local decisions, planning and review of teacher performance and evaluation in preparation for issuance of contracts January 2014 SBE to provide a model contract to LEAs June Deadline for all 4-year contracts to be made and accepted June 30, 2018 Permanent elimination of career status for all teachers

Proficient? Not Proficient? 3 or more years? consecutive in district Less Than 3 years? consecutive in district Career Status (rare but possible; in cases of recent transfers into districts) No Career Status One Year Contract Continued Career Status Ending June 30, 2018 Career Status No Career Status Four Year Contract 25% of teachers with 3 or more consecutive years in district If Career Status, must agree to relinquish Additional $500 every year (of 4) on base salary New State Statutes Governing Teacher Effectiveness and Contract Awards Decisions that must be made prior to June Draft - Represents our current understanding of the law. This is not a Recommended decision-making path, rather an economical way to represent the decision on a single slide. Non-Renewal Subject to all existing protections One Year Contract Key Law requires District decision point

New State Statutes Governing Teacher Effectiveness and Contract Awards Time Line to By June % of teachers with 3 or more consecutive years in district & Proficient or Above Teachers with Career Status who do not receive 4-year Contract Teachers without Career Status who do not receive 4-year Contractrs Four Year Contract Continued Career Status One Year Contract

New State Statutes Governing Teacher Effectiveness and Contract Awards Time Line to By June % of teachers with 3 or more years in district Teachers with Career Status who do not receive 4-year Contract Teachers without Career Status who do not receive 4-year Contractrs Four Year Contract Continued Career Status One Year Contract Issued Prior to the beginning of each school year based on Superintendent recommendation Things Change in ! 1.No Career Status for anyone 2.Starting in there will be three types of contracts 1-year 2-year 4-year 3.As of now, the salary implications of these contracts are not spelled out but the stated intent of the GA is to move to a pay for performance model built on robust measures of teacher effectiveness

Proficient? Not Proficient? 3-years? continuous in district Less Than 3? continuous in district Career Status (rare but possible; in cases of recent transfers into districts) No Career Status One Year Contract Continued Career Status Ending June 30, 2018 Career Status No Career Status (rare) Four Year Contract 25% of teachers with 3 or more consecutive years in district If Career Status, must agree to relinquish Additional $500 every year (of 4) on base salary New State Statutes Governing Teacher Effectiveness and Contract Awards Decisions that must be made prior to June Non-Renewal Subject to all existing protections One Year Contract Key Law requires District Decision point Essential Question How do LEAs make fair decisions about who gets a four-year contract?

Proficient? Not Proficient? 3-years? continuous in district Less Than 3? continuous in district Career Status (rare but possible; in cases of recent transfers into districts) No Career Status One Year Contract Continued Career Status Ending June 30, 2018 Career Status No Career Status (rare) Four Year Contract New State Statutes Governing Teacher Effectiveness and Contract Awards Decisions that must be made prior to June Non-Renewal Subject to all existing protections One Year Contract Key Law requires District Decision point Making Decisions DPI Guidance for District Process  Think about it now Consult with school board and attorneys being aware of avoiding potential legal claims  Determine a process with stakeholder input Teacher groups explicitly as well as others  Be transparent Publicize the methodology your district will use as far in advance of June as possible 25% of teachers with 3 or more consecutive years in district If Career Status, must agree to relinquish Additional $500 every year (of 4) on base salary