3012. Tenure: certain school districts. 1. (a) i. Teachers and all other members of the teaching staff of school districts, including common school districts and/or school districts employing fewer than eight teachers, other than city school districts, who are appointed prior to July first, two thousand fifteen, shall be appointed by the board of education, or the trustees of common school districts, upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, for a probationary period of three years, except that in the case of a teacher who has rendered satisfactory service as a regular substitute for a period of two years or as a seasonally licensed per session teacher of swimming in day schools who has served in that capacity for a period of two years and has been appointed to teach the same subject in day schools, on an annual salary, the probationary period shall be limited to one year; provided, however, that in the case of a teacher who has been appointed on tenure in another school district within the state, the school district where currently employed, or a board of cooperative educational services, and who was not dismissed from such district or board as a result of charges brought pursuant to subdivision one of section three thousand twenty-a or section three thousand twenty-b of this article, the probationary period shall not exceed two years. The service of a person appointed to any of such positions may be discontinued at any time during such probationary period, on the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, by a majority vote of the board of education or the trustees of a common school district.
ii. Teachers and all other members of the teaching staff of school districts, including common school districts and/or school districts employing fewer than eight teachers, other than city school districts, who are appointed on or after July first, two thousand fifteen, shall be appointed by the board of education, or the trustees of common school districts, upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, for a probationary period of four years, except that in the case of a teacher who has rendered satisfactory service as a regular substitute for a period of two years and, if a classroom teacher, has received annual professional performance review ratings in each of those years, or has rendered satisfactory service as a seasonally licensed per session teacher of swimming in day schools who has served in that capacity for a period of two years and has been appointed to teach the same subject in day schools, on an annual salary, the teacher shall be appointed for a probationary period of two years; provided, however, that in the case of a teacher who has been appointed on tenure in another school district within the state, the school district where currently employed, or a board of cooperative educational services, and who was not dismissed from such district or board as a result of charges brought pursuant to subdivision one of section three thousand twenty-a or section three thousand twenty-b of this article, the teacher shall be appointed for a probationary period of three years; provided that, in the case of a classroom teacher, the teacher demonstrates that he or she received an annual professional performance review rating pursuant to section three thousand twelve-c or section three thousand twelve-d of this chapter in his or her final year of service in such other school district or board of cooperative educational services. The service of a person appointed to any of such positions may be discontinued at any time during such probationary period, on the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, by a majority vote of the board of education or the trustees of a common school district.
(b) i. Principals, administrators, supervisors and all other members of the supervising staff of school districts, including common school districts and/or school districts employing fewer than eight teachers, other than city school districts, who are appointed prior to July first, two thousand fifteen, shall be appointed by the board of education, or the trustees of a common school district, upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools for a probationary period of three years. The service of a person appointed to any of such positions may be discontinued at any time during the probationary period on the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, by a majority vote of the board of education or the trustees of a common school district.
ii. Principals, administrators, supervisors and all other members of the supervising staff of school districts, including common school districts and/or school districts employing fewer than eight teachers, other than city school districts, who are appointed on or after July first, two thousand fifteen, shall be appointed by the board of education, or the trustees of a common school district, upon the recommendation of the superintendent of schools for a probationary period of four years. The service of a person appointed to any of such positions may be discontinued at any time during the probationary period on the recommendation of the superintendent of schools, by a majority vote of the board of education or the trustees of a common school district.
(c) Any person previously appointed to tenure or a probationary period pursuant to the provisions of former section three thousand thirteen of this article shall continue to hold such position and be governed by the provisions of this section notwithstanding any contrary provision of law.
2. (a) At the expiration of the probationary term of a person appointed for such term prior to July first, two thousand fifteen, subject to the conditions of this section, the superintendent of schools shall make a written report to the board of education or the trustees of a common school district recommending for appointment on tenure those persons who have been found competent, efficient and satisfactory. Such persons, and all others employed in the teaching service of the schools of such union free school district, common school district and/or school district employing fewer than eight teachers, who have served the probationary period as provided in this section, shall hold their respective positions during good behavior and efficient and competent service, and shall not be removed except for any of the following causes, after a hearing, as provided by section three thousand twenty-a or section three thousand twenty-b of this article: (a) insubordination, immoral character or conduct unbecoming a teacher; (b) inefficiency, incompetency, physical or mental disability, or neglect of duty; (c) failure to maintain certification as required by this chapter and by the regulations of the commissioner. Each person who is not to be recommended for appointment on tenure, shall be so notified by the superintendent of schools in writing not later than sixty days immediately preceding the expiration of his probationary period.
(b) At the expiration of the probationary term of a person appointed for such term on or after July first, two thousand fifteen, subject to the conditions of this section, the superintendent of schools shall make a written report to the board of education or the trustees of a common school district recommending for appointment on tenure those persons who have been found competent, efficient and satisfactory and, in the case of a classroom teacher or building principal, who have received composite annual professional performance review ratings pursuant to section three thousand twelve-c or section three thousand twelve-d of this article, of either effective or highly effective in at least three of the four preceding years, exclusive of any breaks in service; provided that, notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, when a teacher or principal receives an effective or highly effective rating in each year of his or her probationary service except he or she receives an ineffective rating in the final year of his or her probationary period, such teacher shall not be eligible for tenure but the board of education, in its discretion, may extend the teacher's probationary period for an additional year; provided, however, that if such teacher or principal successfully appealed such ineffective rating, such teacher or principal shall immediately be eligible for tenure if the rating resulting from the appeal established that such individual has been effective or highly effective in at least three of the preceding four years and was not ineffective in the final year. At the expiration of the probationary period, the classroom teacher or building principal shall remain in probationary status until the end of the school year in which such teacher or principal has received such ratings of effective or highly effective for at least three of the four preceding school years, exclusive of any breaks in service, and subject to the terms hereof, during which time the trustees or board of education shall consider whether to grant tenure for those classroom teachers or building principals who otherwise have been found competent, efficient and satisfactory. Provided, however, that the trustees or board of education may grant tenure contingent upon a classroom teacher's or building principal's receipt of a minimum rating in the final year of the probationary period, pursuant to the requirements of this section, and if such contingency is not met after all appeals have been exhausted, the grant of tenure shall be void and unenforceable and the teacher's or principal's probationary period may be extended in accordance with this subdivision. Such persons who have been recommended for tenure and all others employed in the teaching service of the schools of such school district who have served the full probationary period as extended pursuant to this subdivision shall hold their respective positions during good behavior and efficient and competent service, and shall not be removable except for cause after a hearing as provided by section three thousand twenty-a or section three thousand twenty-b of this article. Failure to maintain certification as required by this chapter and the regulations of the commissioner shall constitute cause for removal.
3. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section no period in any school year for which there is no required service and/or for which no compensation is provided shall in any event constitute a break or suspension of probationary period or continuity of tenure rights of any of the persons hereinabove described.
Last modified: February 3, 2019