DFAA(LEGAL) - PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS: SUSPENSION/TERMINATION DURING CONTRACT

Discharge

Any probationary contract employee may be discharged at any time for good cause as determined by the board. "Good cause" is the failure to meet the accepted standards of conduct for the profession as generally recognized and applied in similarly situated school districts in this state. Education Code 21.104(a)

[See DHB regarding circumstances in which a certified employee's dismissal must be reported to the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC).]

Suspension

A district may, for good cause as defined above, suspend an employee without pay in lieu of discharge or pending discharge. The period of suspension may not extend beyond the end of the current school year. Education Code 21.104(b)

Notice

Before any probationary contract employee is dismissed or suspended without pay for good cause, the employee shall be given reasonable notice in writing of the charges against him or her and an explanation of a district's evidence, set out in sufficient detail to fairly enable the employee to show any error that may exist. Cleveland Bd. of Educ. v. Loudermill, 470 U.S. 532 (1985)

Hearing

If the employee is protesting proposed action to suspend or terminate a probationary contract for good cause, under Education Code 21.104, the employee is entitled to a hearing before an independent hearing examiner under Education Code Chapter 21, Subchapter F [see DFD].

Exception

If the employee is protesting proposed action to terminate a probationary contract before the end of the contract period on the basis of a financial exigency declared under Education Code 44.011 [see CEA], the employee is entitled to a hearing in the manner provided under Education Code 21.207 for nonrenewal of a term contract [see DFBB] or a hearing under Education Code Chapter 21, Subchapter F, as determined by the board.

Education Code 21.1041

Marfa ISD

DFAA(LEGAL)-P

UPDATE 91

DATE ISSUED: 10/18/2011