Hickman County Board of Education
Descriptor Term:
Descriptor Code:
Issued Date:
5.117
08/03/20
Teacher Tenure
Rescinds:
Issued:
5.117
05/07/18
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General
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To attain tenure status, 1 a teacher must: (1) meet tenure eligibility requirements; (2) be renewed and
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recommended by the director of schools; and (3) receive a majority vote of the board.
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TENURE ELIGIBILITY²
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Teachers that meet the following requirements are eligible for tenure:
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1. Has a degree from an approved four-year college or any career and technical teacher who has
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the equivalent amount of training established and is licensed by the state board of education;
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2. Holds a valid teacher license issued by the state board of education, based on training covering
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the subjects or grades taught;
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3. Has completed a probationary period of five (5) school years or not less than forty-five (45)
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months within the last seven-year period, the last two (2) years being employed in a regular
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teaching position rather than an interim teaching position; and
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4. Has received evaluations demonstrating an overall performance effectiveness level of "above
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expectations" or "significantly above expectations" as provided in the evaluation guidelines
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adopted by the state board of education, during the last two (2) years of the probationary
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period.
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If a teacher has met all other requirements for tenure eligibility but has not acquired an official
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evaluation score during the last one (1) or two (2) years of the probationary period due to allowable
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circumstances outlined in state law, he/she may utilize the most recent two (2) years of available
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evaluation scores achieved during the probationary period to become eligible for tenure. 3
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ACQUISITION OF TENURE STATUS
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Once a teacher is eligible for tenure, he/she shall be either recommended by the director of schools for
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tenure or nonrenewed. If tenure is denied by the board, the teacher shall be dismissed. 4
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The following additional guidelines shall apply:
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1. The director of schools will recommend persons eligible for tenure at a board meeting in ample
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time to provide notice of non-renewal to each teacher not recommended for tenure within five (5)
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business days following the last instructional day for the school year.⁵
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Version Date: June 14, 2021
Teacher Tenure
5.117
1
2. The decision to grant tenure is solely within the discretion of the board. 6 Only those teachers who
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receive a majority vote of the membership of the board will be granted tenure.⁷
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3. A teacher who is eligible for tenure, but tenure is denied by the board, shall not be rehired beyond
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the current contract year. 4
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TEACHER RETURNING TO EMPLOYMENT
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A teacher who has acquired tenure status in the school system and later resigns shall serve a two-year
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probationary period upon reemployment, unless the probationary period is waived by the board upon
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request of the director of schools. Upon completion of the two-year period, the teacher shall either be
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recommended by the director of schools for tenure or non-renewed. If tenure is denied by the board,
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the teacher shall be dismissed. 8
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TEACHER TRANSFERRING FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM9
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A tenured or nontenured teacher with five (5) or more years of prior service that transfers from another
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school system to begin employment in the Hickman County School System shall serve the regular
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probationary period. The board, upon the recommendation of the director of schools, may waive the
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probationary period and grant tenure status or shorten the probationary period.
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If a nontenured teacher with fewer than five (5) years of service transfers from another school system,
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such teacher shall not be eligible for tenure status until the teacher has served at least five (5) years
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when service in both school systems is counted.
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All tenure decisions made under this section are subject to the requirements concerning overall teacher
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performance effectiveness levels.
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TEACHER RETURNING TO PROBATIONARY STATUS¹
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Any tenured teacher who receives two (2) consecutive years of evaluations demonstrating an overall
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performance effectiveness level of "below expectations" or "significantly below expectations" shall be
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returned to probationary status by the director of schools until the teacher has received two (2)
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consecutive years of evaluations demonstrating an overall performance effectiveness level of "above
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expectations" or "significantly above expectations."
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When a teacher who has returned to probationary status has received two (2) consecutive years of
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evaluations demonstrating an overall performance effectiveness level of "above expectations" or
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"significantly above expectations," the teacher is again eligible for tenure and shall be either
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recommended by the director of schools for tenure or nonrenewed; provided, however, that the teacher
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shall be dismissed if tenure is denied by the board. 4
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This section does not apply to teachers who acquired tenure prior to July 1, 2011.
Page 2 of 3
Teacher Tenure
5.117
Legal References
Cross References
1.
TCA 49-5-501(11)(A)
Separation Practices for Tenured Teachers 5.200
2.
TCA 49-5-503
Separation Practices for Non-Tenured Teachers 5.201
3.
Public Acts of 2021, Special Legislative
Session Chapter No. 2
4.
TCA 49-5-504(b)
5.
TCA 49-5-409(b); Public Acts of 2021, Chapter
No. 378
6.
TCA 49-2-203(a)(1)
7.
TCA 49-2-202(g)
8.
TCA 49-5-504(d)
9.
TCA 49-5-509
10.
TCA 49-5-504(e), (f)
Page 3 of 3

## Table 1

|  | Hickman County Board of | Education |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|  | Descriptor Term: Teacher Tenure | Descriptor Code: 5.117 | Issued Date: 08/03/20 |
|  |  | Rescinds: 5.117 | Issued: 05/07/18 |

## Table 2

| 1. | TCA 49-5-501(11)(A) |
| --- | --- |
| 2. | TCA 49-5-503 |
| 3. Session | Public Acts of 2021, Special Legislative Chapter No. 2 |
| 4. | TCA 49-5-504(b) |
| 5. No. 378 | TCA 49-5-409(b); Public Acts of 2021, Chapter |
| 6. | TCA 49-2-203(a)(1) |
| 7. | TCA 49-2-202(g) |
| 8. | TCA 49-5-504(d) |
| 9. | TCA 49-5-509 |
| 10. | TCA 49-5-504(e), (f) |