Regulation 0401.15-AR-01 Certificated Personnel Reduction In Force

Should the Board of Trustees declare a "Reduction in Force" (RIF), the following procedures will be followed pursuant to policy 0401.15.

The District shall consider:

  1. The elimination of an entire program or portions of programs;
  2. The elimination of positions in certain grade levels only;
  3. The elimination of positions in an overall review within a building;
  4. The elimination of positions in an overall review of the District;
  5. The elimination of positions through other considerations and implementation of decisions;
  6. The elimination of a portion or percentage of position(s); or
  7. Any combination of the above.

These procedures shall apply to all personnel who hold a certificate issued by the Idaho State Department of Education or the Idaho State Division of Career Technology who are employed in a teaching or administrative position, below the rank of Superintendent. Certified personnel reductions will be based on the teachers' current teaching assignment or in the case of teachers on leave, it will be based on their last teaching assignment.

Procedures:

Prior to taking any mandatory actions, consideration shall be given to the potential for achieving necessary staffing reductions through the following measures:

  1. Voluntary retirements
  2. Voluntary resignations
  3. Transfer of existing personnel
  4. Voluntary leave of absence

Reductions in force will be calculated at the building level. Personnel identified for a RIF shall be placed in the pools identified in Employee Groups, and positions will be assigned as available.

Employee Groups - for the purpose of implementing a reduction in force under Policy 401.15, personnel shall be grouped using system-wide employee groups as follows:

  1. Pre-K - 5 school teachers;
  2. 6-8 middle school teachers grouped separately by certification areas* (e.g., language arts teachers);
  3. 9-12 high school teachers grouped separately by certification areas* (e.g., high school math teachers);
  4. K-12 teachers grouped separately by special subject certification areas (e.g., physical education, health, music teachers);

  5. Career Technical education teachers grouped separately by certification areas (e.g., electrical trades, masonry, auto body, horticulture teachers);

  6. e.g., principals, instructional supervisors/directors, media coordinators, counselors, speech/language specialists, school psychologists, school social workers; and special education teachers.

Certified personnel with a current evaluation will be given a priority in a RIF. Personnel returning from leave will be ranked according to their most recent evaluation and placed after existing personnel according to that rank. Certified personnel on leaves of absence shall be subject to all provisions of this Administrative Regulation.

In the event a RIF is required, certified personnel who are retained pursuant to this Administrative Regulation may be reassigned if suitable position openings are available in instructional areas for which they are certified and for which the principal has approved transfer as per Idaho Code requirements.

If the funding for specially funded positions is reduced or eliminated, certified personnel paid by the special funds may be reduced or eliminated.

Consideration may be given to the following criteria in determining which personnel shall be released pursuant to the RIF:

  1. Certified personnel evaluation, including components required by state statute to be encompassed in certified personnel evaluation.
  2. Area(s) of certification for which the certified personnel is endorsed and are classified by the District as "Hard to Fill" positions.
  3. Number of areas of certification for which the certified personnel is endorsed.
  4. Educational/Degree Status.
  5. National Certifications Held.
  6. Position as a Leader or Master Certified personnel within the District.
  7. Whether or not the certified personnel is endorsed in a course necessary for High School Graduation requirements.
  8. Whether or not the certified personnel is endorsed in a course necessary for Middle School advancement.
  9. Contribution and/or involvement in extra-curricular or co-curricular positions with students.
  10. Complaint with the Professional Standards and Conduct over the course of the last five consecutive years.

The chart in Administrative Regulation 0401.15-AR-02 identifies the specific point values for each of these areas of consideration.

For each certified personnel subject to RIF consideration, a Certified Staff Profile shall be developed by the Human Resources Department, applying the criterion to each respective certified personnel.

The factors for consideration shall be reviewed on an annual basis by the District's Administration to determine whether factors should be added or eliminated, or weighted differently. Any changes to these factors will be reflected in Administrative Regulations and be presented to the Board of Trustees in Open Session.

The Human Resources Department shall advance notice of the possible RIF to all certified personnel who may be released, based upon the number of certified personnel who may be released, in whole or in part, and the school program, certified personnel positions or categories or positions that may be affected.

With this notification, the Chief Human Resources Officer shall provide a copy of the Certified Staff Profile, utilizing the established point system, and the steps certified personnel should take if they believe there is an error in their individual Certified Staff Profile.

If certified personnel receiving a Certified Staff Profile believe that there is an error, each such written notice, timely received, shall be individually reviewed for possible reconsideration or evaluation of the information used to create the Certified Staff Profile. This may include a member of the District communicating directly with the certified personnel to obtain more information or documentation relating to the alleged error.

  1. If the Chief Human Resources Officer determines that an error was made in completion of the Certified Staff Profile, a new profile will be created and provided to the certified personnel in question.
  2. If the Chief Human Resources Officer determines that no error was made in completion of the Certified Staff Profile, the certified personnel shall be notified of this determination.
  3. The certified personnel shall have a period of three (3) school days to file written notice of an appeal of this decision to the Chief Human Resources Officer. Thereafter, the Chief Human Resources Officer shall review the dispute in whatever manner deemed appropriate for the circumstances, and make a final decision on the issue of the appeal and questioned error of the Certified Staff Profile.

If the Board of Trustees declares a RIF, the Chief Human Resources Officer shall submit a list of the certified personnel recommended for release, and shall make recommendation to the Board as to what due process, if any, should be implemented for each individual personnel situation.

All releases shall be done in conformance with the applicable provisions of the Idaho Code and all affected certified personnel will be promptly notified, in writing, of employment actions and any related due process activities, if any.