June 1 is the deadline for providing written notice to a teacher that the board does not intend to renew his or her contract. But did you realize that May 1 is another critical deadline if a board is considering non-renewal for a teacher on a limited or extended limited contract?
Districts considering non-renewal of any teacher must follow all of the statutorily required steps by the applicable deadlines. If the district fails to meet the requirements in the law, the teacher will be deemed reemployed under an extended limited contract for one year at the same salary plus any increment provided by the salary schedule.
Evaluations
The law requires every board of education to implement standards-based evaluations for teachers (RC 3319.11). Your district should have policies on teacher evaluations.
Evaluations can be based on two frameworks. The original framework has two components: teacher performance on standards and student growth measures.
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Graphic from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE).
The alternative framework has three components: teacher performance on standards, student growth measures and alternative components. Alternative components can include any combination of student surveys, teacher self-evaluations, peer review evaluations and student portfolios. The district also can determine its own alternative component.
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Based on evaluations, districts can award teachers one of four final summative ratings: accomplished, skilled, developing and ineffective. Teachers must receive an evaluation every year, unless the district has adopted a policy permitting less frequent evaluations for teachers rated accomplished or skilled.
Teacher evaluations must be completed annually by May 1 and a written report provided to the teacher by May 10.
Observations
In any evaluation year, a teacher must have at least two formal classroom observations. However, the law requires at least three formal classroom observations for any teacher on a limited or extended limited contract and who is under consideration for nonrenewal (RC 3319.111(E)(1)). There must also be at least two less formal classroom walkthroughs. These must be performed prior to May 1 to be included in the written evaluation report provided to the teacher on May 10.
As noted above, the timing of the observations and evaluations is as critical as the timing for notice of non-renewal. Remember that, following written notice of non-renewal, any teacher has the right to request and receive a written explanation of the district’s reason for non-renewal and a hearing before the board (RC 3319.11(G)). There are timing requirements for these steps as well.
ODE has more information about teacher evaluations available on its website. And while we’re talking about dates and deadlines, check out the dates and deadlines list for the 2017-2018 school year that OSBA posted to its website today.