San Bernardino City Unified School District, California

National enrollment rank: 84

Labor context

California requires collective bargaining by school districts if a majority of teachers vote for union representation.
Teachers are NEA union members.
2,279 teachers

Student demographics

53,365 students
89% free/reduced lunch

School district teacher count, enrollment, and demographic data is from the 2014-2015 school year sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics. Due to data issues, teacher count for districts in six states (HI, MT, NE, OH, UT, and WI) is from 2013-2014.

Fast facts

Days in student school year:	181
Additional teacher work days:	13.5
Annual adjustment (reported as a percentage of change from the previous year):	0%
Starting salary:	$52,242
Maximum salary (salary, degree, years of experience):	$95,708; BA+60 with MA or MA+30; 17
Student achievement data required for evaluation:	n/a
Layoff criteria:
Evaluations per year:
Tenured	once every two years; teachers with 10+ years experience and satisfactory evaluations, once every five years
Non-tenured	Once a year
Sick and personal days per year:	10 (10 sick, 7 of which may be used for personal reasons)
Years to tenure:	2 years

Compensation - Fringe Benefits questions

Health and Wellness
What is the maximum portion of the employee's health insurance premium paid by the employer?	100% p. 38, Art. XII, Sec. 1.
What is the maximum portion of the employee's dependents' health insurance premium paid by the employer?	100% p. 38, Art. XII, Sec. 1.
Does the employer specify a dollar cap for the portion of the premium they cover? If so, what is the cap?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Pensions/Retirement
Are there incentives for a teacher to take early retirement?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
By what date must a teacher give notification that he/she intends to resign or retire?	retirement: 90 days in order to qualify for retiree health insurance; resignation: advance notice appropriate for the position held Board Policy 4117.2: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419 p. 42, Art. XIII, Sec. 3.A.
Does the district offer an incentive to the teacher who notifies the district before the deadline that he/she intends to resign/retire at the end of the school year?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Is there a penalty for a teacher who fails to notify the district that he/she intends to resign/retire by the district's deadline?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Can a teacher receive payment for unused sick leave at retirement? How much?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Can a teacher receive payment for unused personal leave at retirement? How much?	No; personal days are taken from sick leave. p. 82, Art. XX, Sec. 6.A.
Tuition Reimbursement
Is tuition reimbursement offered to teachers?	Yes teachers seeking a Resource Specialist Crediental are eligible for tuition reimbursement; however, they must remain in the Resource Specialist position for at least 5 years p. 36, Art. XI, Sec. 18.
Can a teacher receive financial support to cover National Board certification fees?	issue not addressed in the scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Calendar questions

School Year
STUDENTS: How many days are students in school?	181
STUDENTS: How many hours, minimum, are students scheduled to be in school each year?	Kindergarten: 543 (instructional), in accordance with Education Code 46111; Grades 1-3: 693 hours, 50 minutes (instructional), in accordance with Education Code 46112; grades 4-12: 724 hours (instructional), in accordance with Education Code 46113 Administrative Regulation 6112: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
TEACHERS: How many days are teachers in school?	185
TEACHERS: How many days is the teacher required to be on-site without students? (including half or partial days)	13.5 Past Policy elementary: 13.5; high: 7.5 Past Policy elementary: 13.5; high: 7.5 Past Policy 6 Past Policy 4 2011-2012 School Year Calendar Past Policy 4 2010-2011 School Year Calendar Past Policy 4 2009-2010 School Calendar Past Policy 7 2008-2009 School Year Calendar
School Day
How long is the school day for elementary students?	Kindergarten: 3 hours (instructional), in accordance with Education Code 46111; Grades 1-3: 3 hours, 50 minutes (instructional), in accordance with Education Code 46112; grades 4-8: 4 hours (instructional), in accordance with Education Code 46113 Administrative Regulation 6112: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
How long is the school day for secondary students?	4 hours (instructional), in accordance with Education Code 46141-46147 Administrative Regulation 6112: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
How long is the scheduled workday for teachers? (total time scheduled on-site, including lunch)	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents Classroom teachers at San Andreas High School shall report to work, as designated by the District, 2,050 minutes per week, exclusive of lunch, staff meetings, and adjunctive duties.
How much time is the teacher required to be on-site beyond the length of the student day? (This does not include time for meetings)	35 minutes (15 minutes before the first class, 15 minutes after the last class); 50 minutes for the 2015-2016 school year For the 2015-2016 school year, the work day shall increase by fifteen (15) minutes, which shall be used for preparation, planning, and other professional activities. The fifteen (15) minute increase will be added to the beginning of the work day at the elementary level, and at the end of the work day at the secondary level. p. 45, Art. XIV, Sec. 2.A.
Preparation Time
How much planning time does an elementary teacher receive?	2 hours, 5 minutes a week (50 minutes per week plus 15 minutes at the beginning of the work day beginning in 2015-2016) p. 45, Art. XIV, Sec. 2.A & p. 48, Art. XIV, Sec. 5. Past Policy 2 hours, 5 minutes a week (50 minutes per week plus 15 minutes at the beginning of the work day beginning in 2015-2016) p. 1, Art. XIV. Past Policy 50 minutes per week San Bernardino CBA 2006-2008: p. 47, Art. XIV Sec. 5
How much planning time does a secondary teacher receive?	1 period per day plus 15 minutes at the end of each work day beginning in 2015-2016 p. 45, Art. XIV, Sec. 2.A & p. 48, Art. XIV, Sec. 5. Past Policy 1 period per day (amount of time not specified) plus 15 minutes at the end of each work day beginning in 2015-2016 p. 1, Art. XIV. Past Policy 1 period per day San Bernardino CBA 2006-2008: p. 47, Art. XIV Sec. 5
How much teacher planning time is designated for collaborative planning?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Class Size questions

Class Size Restrictions
What are the class size restrictions?	PK: 20; K-3: 33; 4-6: 34; 7 & 8 (middle/intermediate school core classes): 36; 9-12 (secondary core classes): 40 pp. 54 & 55, Art. XV, Sec. 1 & 2.
What happens when the class size limit is exceeded?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Compensation - Salary questions

Structure of the Salary Schedule
What type of salary schedule is in use?	Traditional salary schedule (step and lane)
What is the average percent increase in pay earned for each additional year of experience?	3.5%
Teachers in most districts earn a raise for each additional year of experience and an annual adjustment for cost of living and other factors. What is that average annual adjustment? (reported as a percentage of change from the previous year)	0% Past Policy 2.0% Past Policy n/a, district added to database in 2014-2015 and, at that time, a copy of the 2013-14 salary schedule for comparison was unavailable Past Policy -3% 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy 0% This is based on the district reporting no changes to the 2007-2008 salary schedule. 2009-2010 Salary Schedule Past Policy current salary schedule not available
What is the average total change in salary accounting for both earning an additional year of experience and an annual adjustment for cost of living and other factors? (reported as the percentage of change from the previous year)	3.5% Past Policy 5.6% Past Policy n/a, district added to database in 2014-2015 and, at that time, a copy of the 2013-14 salary schedule for comparison was unavailable Past Policy 0.1% 2009-2010 Salary Schedule, 2010-2011 Salary Schedule
What is the average difference between the master's and bachelor's salary?	$3,759
How many lanes (or columns) based on advanced degrees or credit attainment are on the teacher's salary schedule?	5: BA without credential, BA with credential, BA+30 or MA, BA+45 or MA+15, MA+60 past BA or MA+30
In what year of service will a teacher with a bachelor's and/or master's degree reach the maximum salary (assuming no step freezes)?	Bachelor's lane: 9; Master's lane: 13
Annual Salary
What is the annual salary for a fully certified, first year teacher with a bachelor's degree?	$52,242
What is the annual salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree and 5 years of experience?	$61,396
What is the annual salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree on the highest step of the salary schedule?	$70,542
What is the annual salary for a fully certified, first year teacher with a master's degree?	$52,242
What is the annual salary for a teacher with a master's degree and 5 years of experience?	$63,692
What is the annual salary for a teacher with a master's degree on the highest step of the salary schedule?	$81,983
What is the maximum annual salary available to teachers? What are the education requirements for this salary? In what year of service will a teacher receive this salary?	$95,708; BA+60 with MA or MA+30; 17 Past Policy $93,831; BA+60 with MA or MA+30; 17 Past Policy 85,087; BA+60 with MA or MA+30; 17
Performance Pay
Is annual salary increase tied to evaluation rating?	Yes p. 3 (pdf), App. B, Sec. 3.A & B.
If an annual salary increase is tied to evaluation rating, how do annual salary increases work?	Other Step and column advancement will be withheld for an Unsatisfactory rating or a Partially Meets Standards rating followed by a Partially Meets Standards or Unsatisfactory rating the following year. p. 3 (pdf), App. B, Sec. 3.A & B. Past Policy Other step and column advancement will be withheld for an Unsatisfactory rating or an Improvement Needed rating followed by an Improvement Needed or Unsatisfactory rating the following year pp. 120 & 121, App. B, Sec. 3.A & B. Past Policy Other step and column advancement will be withheld for an Unsatisfactory rating or a Improvement Needed rating followed by an Improvement Needed or Unsatisfactory rating the following year
Aside from annual salary increases, are other aspects of a teacher’s pay based on evaluation rating?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Do teachers earn performance pay for factors other than evaluation ratings?	yes, teachers in Transformation schools who improve student achievement and graduation rates are eligible for financial incentives District website: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=4003
Other Differentiated Pay
Can a teacher earn additional pay by working in a school classified as "high-needs"?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Can a teacher earn additional pay by teaching subjects deemed 'hard to staff'?	Yes, credentialed bilingual education teachers who teach in a district-designated Alternative Bilingual Education or Dual Immersion classroom earn 5 per diems above base salary. Teachers of hard to fill subjects earn unspecified bonuses. The District may offer an initial one-time recruitment bonus to newly hired teachers in hard to fill subject areas when funds are available for that purpose. The District and Association will meet and negotiate the specifics of these bonuses prior to implementation. p. 3 (pdf), Art. XI, Sec. 13.B1. pp. 34 & 35, Art. XI, Sec. 13.G.
Can a teacher who has National Board certification earn additional pay?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
What compensation is offered to a teacher who serves as a department head at the secondary level?	3-6% of base pay at BA lane, step 2, depending on size of department p. 2 (pdf), Art. XI, Sec. 11. p. 32, Art. XI, Sec. 11 & pp. 114 & 115, App. A. Past Policy 3-6% of base pay at BA lane, step 1, depending on size of department p. 32, Art. XI, Sec. 11 & pp. 114 & 115, App. A. Past Policy 3-6% of base pay at BA lane, step 1, depending on size of department
General Salary Information
Are uncertified teachers paid less than fully certified teachers?	Yes p. 2 (pdf), Art. XI, Sec. 6. pp. 114 & 115, App. A.
Can a teacher get credit on the salary schedule for subject-related work experience? How many years of experience are awarded for subject-related experience?	yes, vocational teachers receive 1 year of credit for every 2 years of work-related experience, up to 10 years p. 118, App. B, Sec. 1.F.
Are teachers eligible for a longevity bonus? If so, in what year(s) of service is a teacher eligible?	Yes, in years 21 and 25 p. 1 (pdf), Art. XI, Sec. 1. Past Policy issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents Past Policy issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Dismissal questions

Dismissals
Following an unsatisfactory final evaluation, how much time must a tenured teacher (or annual contract where tenure nonexistent) be in formal remediation before s/he may be dismissed or non-renewed at the end of the school year?	Other indefinitely, teacher evaluated annually until satisfactory performance attained Teachers who are rated unsatisfactorily may be referred to Peer Assistance and Review (PAR). It is recommended that they remain in the program for no more than 12 months except under special circumstances, the PAR Joint Panel may agree to extend PAR for a total of no more than 24 months. Presumably, a teacher may be dismissed if s/he fails to improve under PAR, however, this is not explicitly addressed in the contract. (pp. 166 & 167, Add. B.4.Sec. IV.G.) Administrative Regulation 4115, Frequency of Evaluations: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
What is the process for dismissal of an ineffective teacher?	district acknowledges state law Administrative Regulation 4117.4: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
Does a nontenured teacher have any recourse if his/her contract is not renewed?	no in accordance with state law, Education Code 44929.21 Administrative Regulation 4117.4:http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
By what date must a nontenured teacher be notified of non-renewal of his/her contract?	March 15 for first year teachers in last non-tenured year, issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents for all other teachers Administrative Regulation 4117.6: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
When must a tenured teacher be notified of his/her dismissal?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Evaluation questions

Evaluation System
What is the teacher required to be evaluated on?	Professional Practice (Engaging and supporting all students in learning; Creating and maintaining effective environments for student learning; Understanding and organizing subject matter for student learning; Planning instruction and designing learning experiences for all students; Assessing student learning; Developing as a professional educator, Establishing a rapport and maintaining timely communication with students, parents, staff, and administrators on the status of assigned students; Attendance and punctuality; Judgement) p. 60, Art. XVI, Sec. 3.A.
Do impartial third parties from outside the school serve as evaluators?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Is peer review a component of teacher evaluation; what is the nature of the review?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Does the evaluation include student input?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
What kind of feedback does a teacher receive following a formal observation(s)?	Conference with evaluator p. 64, Art. XVI, Sec. 4.
What kind of feedback must the teacher receive following an evaluation?	Conference with evaluator p. 67, Art. XVI, Sec. 9.
How many categories of ratings are there?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Are evaluators required to give notice of an observation?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Role of Student Achievement in Teacher Evaluation
How is student growth/achievement calculated for teachers of tested subjects?	n/a Effective 2016-2017, teachers will be rated on one student outcome goal; effective 2017-2018, 2 student outcome goals. The goal(s) may be connected to the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and/or other collaboratively agreed upon student outcome indicators. It is unclear if teachers of tested subjects will be required to assess student growth by objective growth/achievement data. p. 60, Art. XVI, Sec. 3.A & p. 137, App. G, Sec.3.A.3.
How is student achievement/growth calculated for teachers of non-tested subjects?	n/a (effective 2017-2018, teachers will be rated on student performance goals) Effective 2016-2017, teachers will be rated on one student outcome goal; effective 2017-2018, 2 student outcome goals. The goal(s) may be connected to the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and/or other collaboratively agreed upon student outcome indicators. p. 60, Art. XVI, Sec. 3.A & p. 137, App. G, Sec. 3.A.3.
Evaluation Requirements for non-tenured Teachers
How frequently do non-tenured teachers receive an evaluation rating?	Once a year Administrative Regulation 4115.1: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
What is the minimum number of times a non-tenured teacher must be observed during the evaluation?	3 p. 64, Art. XVI, Sec. 4.
What is the deadline for the first formal observation of the non-tenured teacher?	1st year non-tenured teacher must be observed 2x prior to Christmas break; 2nd year non-tenured must be observed 1x prior to Christmas break p. 64, Art. XVI, Sec. 4.
What is the deadline for the final evaluation of the non-tenured teacher?	30 days prior to last day of school p. 67, Art. XVI, Sec. 9.
What is the required minimum length of the formal observation for a non-tenured teacher?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Evaluation Requirements for Tenured Teachers
How frequently do tenured teachers receive an evaluation rating?	Other once every two years; teachers with 10+ years experience and satisfactory evaluations, once every five years The tenured teacher who has been rated "meets" or "exceeds" may choose to undergo an "alternative evaluation" which entails a more formative format, no observations - teachers focus on professional development in one of evaluation criteria. (p. 70, Art. XVI, Sec. 8) Administrative Regulation 4115.1: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
What is the minimum number of times a tenured teacher must be observed during the evaluation?	1 The number of observations may be reduced from 3 to 1-2 if the initial observations demonstrates satisfactory performance. The tenured teacher who has been rated "meets" or "exceeds" may choose to undergo an "alternative evaluation" which entails a more formative format, no observations - teachers focus on professional development in one of evaluation criteria. (p. 70, Art. XVI, Sec. 8) p. 64, Art. XVI, Sec. 4.
What is the deadline for the first formal observation of the tenured teacher?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
What is the deadline for the final evaluation of the tenured teacher?	30 days prior to last day of school p. 67, Art. XVI, Sec. 9.
What is the minimum length of a tenured teacher's formal observation?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Consequences of a Negative Evaluation
Following an unsatisfactory final evaluation, how much time must a tenured teacher (or annual contract where tenure nonexistent) be in formal remediation before s/he may be dismissed or non-renewed at the end of the school year?	Other indefinitely, teacher evaluated annually until satisfactory performance attained Teachers who are rated unsatisfactorily may be referred to Peer Assistance and Review (PAR). It is recommended that they remain in the program for no more than 12 months except under special circumstances, the PAR Joint Panel may agree to extend PAR for a total of no more than 24 months. Presumably, a teacher may be dismissed if s/he fails to improve under PAR, however, this is not explicitly addressed in the contract. (pp. 166 & 167, Add. B.4.Sec. IV.G.) Administrative Regulation 4115, Frequency of Evaluations: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
Does the district assign a mentor or support team to the teacher in remediation?	yes (Peer Assistance and Review) p. 67, Art. XVI, Sec. 10 & p. 163, Add. B.4.Sec.II.D.
How many classroom observations (minimum) are required during remediation?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
How long is the remediation process?	no more than 12 months except under special circumstances, participation in Peer Assistance and Review may last a total of 24 months if approved by the PAR Joint Panel p. 67, Art. XVI, Sec. 10; pp. 167 & 167, Add. B.4.Sec.IV.G.
Can the teacher file a grievance or formally appeal an evaluation rating if there are no acknowledged procedural violations?	No p. 59, Art. XVI, Sec. 1.
Can a teacher request a second evaluation from a different evaluator?	Yes when teacher has been rated unsatisfactory and will undergo a new evaluation in next school year p. 67, Art. XVI, Sec. 10

Layoffs questions

Layoffs
Must nontenured teachers be laid off before tenured?	Yes Board Policy 4117.3: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
Aside from program and staffing needs, what are the criteria for laying off teachers?	Seniority is the preponderant criterion. Board Policy 4117.3: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
In the case of a layoff, is seniority determined at the school level or district level?	District level Board Policy 4117.3: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
What is the notification deadline for teacher layoffs?	March 15 Board Policy 4117.3: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
When the district needs to hire new teachers, are laid off teachers either given recall rights or preference?	Yes-mandatory recall of all teachers in inverse order of layoffs Board Policy 4117.3: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
How long does a laid off teacher retain recall rights?	Tenured - 39 months; provisional - 24 months Board Policy 4117.3: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419

Leave questions

Sick & Personal Leave
What is the total possible number of paid general leave days (sick, personal, and other days used for personal reasons) a teacher can get each year?	10 (10 sick, 7 of which may be used for personal reasons) p. 77, Art. XX, Sec. 1.A & p. 82, Art. XX, Sec. 6.A.
What is the total number of paid sick and personal days a teacher gets each year?	10 (10 sick, 7 of which may be used for personal reasons) p. 77, Art. XX, Sec. 1.A & p. 82, Art. XX, Sec. 6.A.
Can unused sick days carry over from one year to the next?	Yes p. 77, Art. XX, Sec. 1.A.
Can unused personal days carry over from one year to the next?	No because personal days are taken from sick leave. p. 82, Art. XX, Sec. 6.A.
What is the maximum number of sick days a teacher can accumulate?	no maximum, in accordance with Education Code 44978 Administrative Regulation 4161.1: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
After how many days of absence does a teacher have to provide medical documentation for sick leave?	upon request, may request documentation from district-approved doctor p. 79, Art. XX, Sec. 3.
Professional Development Leave
Is there additional paid leave for any professional development not already scheduled and required by the district? How much?	Yes leave to attend a professional development program, meeting, workshop, seminar, or conference (amount of time not specified) pp. 86, Art. XX, Sec. 9.
Other Leave
Apart from general leave (sick, personal, and other leave for personal reasons) and professional development, what other types of paid leave does the district offer?	industrial accident and illness leave (60 days per incident), bereavement of immediate family (3-5 days), jury duty, court subpoena, military (district acknowledges the Military and Veteran's Code), critical illness in the family (3 days) Unit members shall be entitled to three (3) days of paid bereavement leave, or five (5) days if travel of more than 200 miles from home is involved. p. 80, Art. XX, Sec. 4.B; p. 82, Art. XX, Sec. 5; pp. 85 & 86, Art. XX, Sec. 8; p. 87, Art. XX, Sec. 11; p. 87, Art. XX, Sec. 13.
Is leave available for a teacher to attend union associated activities (not counting leave given to elected union representatives)?	yes, Association Time Bank is granted for 100 days per year to be shared district-wide (individual unit members can use 15 days per year) p. 20, Art. VI, Sec. 9.B.
Attendance Incentives
When are leave days restricted or subject to refusal?	when more than 5% of unit members are on personal necessity leave; first/last 5 days of each semester; day before/after holiday/recess; when designated as "compelling personal business" a teacher may not used the days for certain reasons (see footnote) When designated as "compelling personal business" a teacher may not used the days for: recreation, engaging in other employment, employee organization activity, work stoppage/strike/other concerted activity against the district, any illegal activity. Unit members may use not more than four (4) of the seven (7) annual personal necessity days for compelling personal business that can be transacted only during times when the unit member is required to perform services of the District. pp. 83 & 84, Art. XX, Sec. 6.B.
Can a teacher earn additional pay or leave days for demonstrating good job attendance? How much?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Can a teacher receive payment for unused sick leave at the end of each school year? How much?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Can a teacher receive payment for unused personal leave at the end of each school year? How much?	No; personal days are taken from sick leave. p. 82, Art. XX, Sec. 6.A.
Can a teacher receive payment for unused sick leave at retirement? How much?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Can a teacher receive payment for unused personal leave at retirement? How much?	No; personal days are taken from sick leave. p. 82, Art. XX, Sec. 6.A.

Professional Development questions

General
Is there additional paid leave for any professional development not already scheduled and required by the district? How much?	Yes leave to attend a professional development program, meeting, workshop, seminar, or conference (amount of time not specified) pp. 86, Art. XX, Sec. 9.
How long is the mentorship program for a new teacher?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
How long is the standard orientation that the district provides for new teachers?	up to 2 days p. 44, Art. XIV, Sec. 1.B.

Tenure questions

Role of Tenure on Teacher Assignment and Employment
What is the minimum number of years of experience that a teacher must have in a district before tenure is granted?	2 years Administrative Regulation 4116: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
Can the district decide to extend the nontenured period if the principal is uncertain that the teacher should receive tenure?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Transfer & Assignment questions

Transfers
Are internal transfers given priority over new hires for vacant positions?	yes; no after April 15 Board Policy 4114: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
Are principals and/or site selection committees allowed to select voluntary transfer applicants to hire? If not, then how are voluntary transfers assigned to schools?	principals have input, superintendent/designee make decision Board Policy 4114: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
Separate from excessing, does the district allow school or district administrators to involuntarily transfer a teacher to another school? If so, for what reasons is he/she allowed to initiate such a transfer?	for whatever reason necessary to accommodate school staffing needs Board Policy 4114: http://www.sbcusd.com/index.aspx?NID=419
Identifying Involuntary Transfers Due to Excessing
Are teachers identified for excessing in reverse order of seniority?	Seniority is only used as a tiebreaker if all other factors are equal. p. 74, Art. XIX, Sec. 4.B.
How are teachers identified for excessing?	multiple criteria applied in no particular order including credentials, qualifications, ethnic balance in school, staffing for co-curricular activities (secondary only), major and minor fields of study (secondary only); if all factors are substantially equal, seniority shall be deciding factor p. 74, Art. XIX, Sec. 4.B.
Placing Excessed Teachers
How are excessed teachers assigned to schools?	Other Central office places teachers based on their preferences applying multiple criteria: credentials, qualifications, ethnic balance in school, staffing for co-curricular activities (secondary only), major and minor fields of study (secondary only). If all of the factors are substantially equal, seniority is the deciding factor. p. 74, Art. XIX, Sec. 4.B & D.
If excessed teachers are not hired by mutual consent, what happens if there are no available openings?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Contract Waivers questions

Waivers
Is there a system in place to accept waivers or variance provisions for portions of or the entire collective-bargaining agreement?	Yes p. 110, Art. XXVI, Sec. 3.
Do teachers have a vote in a request for a waiver?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents p. 110, Art. XXVI, Sec. 3.
What requirements must be met for a waiver of contract provisions to be approved?	written agreement between the association and the district p. 110, Art. XXVI, Sec. 3.