Santa Ana Unified School District, California

National enrollment rank: 72

Labor context

California requires collective bargaining by school districts if a majority of teachers vote for union representation.
Teachers are NEA union members.
2,243 teachers

Student demographics

56,815 students
86% 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:	182
Additional teacher work days:	10
Annual adjustment (reported as a percentage of change from the previous year):	1.9%
Starting salary:	$56,826
Maximum salary (salary, degree, years of experience):	$111,208; PhD; 25
Student achievement data required for evaluation:	n/a
Layoff criteria:
Evaluations per year:
Tenured	once every two years except for teachers with 10+ years and satisfactory performance who may be evaluated once every five years
Non-tenured	Once a year
Sick and personal days per year:	10 (10 sick, 8 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?	94% p. 2.
What is the maximum portion of the employee's dependents' health insurance premium paid by the employer?	94% p. 2.
Does the employer specify a dollar cap for the portion of the premium they cover? If so, what is the cap?	no, district provides a chart listing employer and employee contributions p. 2.
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?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents Board Policy 4117.2: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
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 Board Policy 4117.2: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
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?	Yes , teachers who fail to get acceptance of their resignation or leave before their resignation date may have his/her credentials suspended Board Policy 4117.2: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
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. 55, Art. 10.2.4.A.
Tuition Reimbursement
Is tuition reimbursement offered to teachers?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
Can a teacher receive financial support to cover National Board certification fees?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Calendar questions

School Year
STUDENTS: How many days are students in school?	182
STUDENTS: How many hours, minimum, are students scheduled to be in school each year?	K: 600 (instructional); Grades 1-3: 840 (instructional); Grades 4-5: 918 (instructional); Grades 6-8: 975 (instructional); Grades 9-12: 1,089 (instructional); in accordance with state law Administrative Regulation 6112 & Board Policy 6112: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
TEACHERS: How many days are teachers in school?	187
TEACHERS: How many days is the teacher required to be on-site without students? (including half or partial days)	10 Includes 32 early release days.
School Day
How long is the school day for elementary students?	K: 3 hours, 20 minutes (instructional); Grades 1-3: 4 hours (instructional); Grades 4-5: 5 hours, 6 minutes (instructional); Grades 6-8: 5 hours, 25 minutes (instructional); in accordance with state law Administrative Regulation 6112 & Board Policy 6112: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
How long is the school day for secondary students?	6 hours, 3 minutes (instructional), in accordance with state law Administrative Regulation 6112 & Board Policy 6112: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
How long is the scheduled workday for teachers? (total time scheduled on-site, including lunch)	determined by the site administrator p. 47, Art. 8.2.9.
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)	determined by the site administrator p. 47, Art. 8.2.9.
Preparation Time
How much planning time does an elementary teacher receive?	grades K-5: not specified; grades 6, 7 and 8 in K-8 schools: no daily preparation period but shall be provided two (2) on-site release days per school year for report card preparation, parent-teacher conferences, or preparation for their academic program p. 42, Art. 8.2.2 & p. 45, Art. 8.2.3.G.2 & 6.
How much planning time does a secondary teacher receive?	not specified p. 42, Art. 8.2.2.
How much teacher planning time is designated for collaborative planning?	elementary: 1 hour per week which shall be used for staff/faculty meetings, department meetings, grade level meetings, collaboration, professional learning communities, staff development activities, in-services, and curriculum meetings secondary: issue not addressed in the scope of NCTQ reviewed documents p. 43, Art. 8.2.3.E.

Class Size questions

Class Size Restrictions
What are the class size restrictions?	Pre-K: issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents; K: 31, in accordance with state law (Education Code Sections 41376 & 41378); 1-3: 30, in accordance with state law (Education Code Sections 41376 & 41378); elementary: 31; middle/intermediate and secondary: 40 p. 48, Art. 9.2.1; p. 49, Art. 9.4.1 - 9.4.3; p. 140, Agreement on Intermediate Class Size; p. 142, Agreement on High School Class Size, & p. 145, MOU LCFF K-3 Grade Span Adjustment.
What happens when the class size limit is exceeded?	Other consideration for additional assistance will be given, teachers at the intermediate level receive compensation, high school teachers will receive compensation in the form of release time p. 49, Art. 9.4, p. 140, Agreement on Intermediate Class Size & p. 141, Agreement on High School Class Size.

Class Size Restrictions

What are the class size restrictions?

Pre-K: issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents; K: 31, in accordance with state law (Education Code Sections 41376 & 41378); 1-3: 30, in accordance with state law (Education Code Sections 41376 & 41378); elementary: 31; middle/intermediate and secondary: 40
p. 48, Art. 9.2.1; p. 49, Art. 9.4.1 - 9.4.3; p. 140, Agreement on Intermediate Class Size; p. 142, Agreement on High School Class Size, & p. 145, MOU LCFF K-3 Grade Span Adjustment.

What happens when the class size limit is exceeded?

Other
consideration for additional assistance will be given, teachers at the intermediate level receive compensation, high school teachers will receive compensation in the form of release time
p. 49, Art. 9.4, p. 140, Agreement on Intermediate Class Size & p. 141, Agreement on High School Class Size.

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?	2.3%
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)	1.9% Past Policy 8.0% Past Policy n/a; district was added back to database in 2014-15 and, at that time, a copy of the 2013-14 salary schedule for comparison was unavailable Past Policy 1.2% 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy -1.5% 2009-2010 Salary Schedule Past Policy 0% 2007-2008 Salary Schedule, 2008-2009 Salary Schedule
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)	4.3% Past Policy 9.6% Past Policy n/a; district was added back to database in 2014-15 and, at that time, a copy of the 2013-14 salary schedule for comparison was unavailable Past Policy 2.67% 2009-2010 Salary Schedule, 2010-2011 Salary Schedule
What is the average difference between the master's and bachelor's salary?	$29,558 Past Policy $28,996 Past Policy $26,848 Past Policy 25,009 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy 25,009 2009-2010 Salary Schedule
How many lanes (or columns) based on advanced degrees or credit attainment are on the teacher's salary schedule?	5: BA, BA+24, BA+45, MA, PhD (stipend pay) Teachers who do not hold full certification will be capped on Step 5 of the BA lane.
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: 6; Master's lane: 25
Annual Salary
What is the annual salary for a fully certified, first year teacher with a bachelor's degree?	$56,826 Past Policy $55,747 Past Policy $51,618 Past Policy 48,660 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy 48,083 2009-2010 Salary Schedule Past Policy 48,815 2008-2009 Salary Schedule
What is the annual salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree and 5 years of experience?	$58,616 Past Policy $57,504 Past Policy $53,244 Past Policy 50,192 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy 49,597 2009-2010 Salary Schedule Past Policy 50,352 2008-2009 Salary Schedule
What is the annual salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree on the highest step of the salary schedule?	$61,253 Past Policy $60,091 Past Policy $55,640 Past Policy 52,451 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy 51,829 2009-2010 Salary Schedule Past Policy 52,618 2008-2009 Salary Schedule
What is the annual salary for a fully certified, first year teacher with a master's degree?	$58,391 Past Policy $57,283 Past Policy $53,040 Past Policy 50,000 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy 49,407 2009-2010 Salary Schedule Past Policy 50,159 2008-2009 Salary Schedule
What is the annual salary for a teacher with a master's degree and 5 years of experience?	$72,774 Past Policy $71,392 Past Policy $66,104 Past Policy 62,315 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy 61,576 2009-2010 Salary Schedule Past Policy 62,514 2008-2009 Salary Schedule
What is the annual salary for a teacher with a master's degree on the highest step of the salary schedule?	$110,107 Past Policy $108,017 Past Policy $100,016 Past Policy 94,284 2010-2011 Salary Schedule Past Policy 93,166 2009-2010 Salary Schedule Past Policy 94,585 2008-2009 Salary Schedule
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?	$111,208; PhD; 25 Past Policy $109,097; PhD; 25 Past Policy $101,016; PhD; 25 Past Policy 95,226; PhD; 30
Performance Pay
Is annual salary increase tied to evaluation rating?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents p. 24, Art. 7.2.
If an annual salary increase is tied to evaluation rating, how do annual salary increases work?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents p. 24, Art. 7.2.
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?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
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, teachers in areas identified as critical shortage earn an annual stipend of $3,121; teachers of LEP students earn annual stipends of $1,061-$3,121, depending on the certification or authorization; teachers with bilingual certification earn an annual stipend of $1,248, bilingual education teachers earn stipends of $1,061-$3,121, and bilingual teachers with doctorate degrees earn $500; and math, science and special education teachers earn an annual stipend of $2,281 p. 33, 7.6.7.B & D; p. 35, Art. 7.6.7.2.I; pp. 111 & 112, Art. 25.1 - 25.1.2 & 25.5, & pp. 116 & 117, App. A. Past Policy yes, teachers in areas identified as critical shortage earn an annual stipend of $3,062; teachers of LEP students earn annual stipends of $1,041-$3,062, depending on the certification or authorization; teachers with bilingual certification earn an annual stipend of $1,225 and bilingual education teachers earn stipends of $1,041-$3,062; and math, science and special education teachers earn an annual stipend of $2,238 p. 33, 7.6.7.B & D, p. 35, Art. 7.6.7.2.I & pp. 111 & 112, Art. 25.1 - 25.1.2 & 25.5. Past Policy yes, teachers in areas identified as critical shortage earn an annual stipend of $2,835; teachers of LEP students earn annual stipends of $964-$2,825, depending on the certification or authorization; teachers with bilingual certification earn an annual stipend of $1,134; and math, science and special education teachers earn an annual stipend of $2,072 The stipend amounts listed above are based on percentages - as stated in the CBA - of the 2014-2105 salary schedule. p. 33, 7.6.7.B & D, p. 35, Art. 7.6.7.2.I & pp. 111 & 112, Art. 25.1 - 25.1.2 & 25.5. Past Policy yes Santa Ana CBA 2004-2007: p. 32, Art. 7.7.7.2; p. 118, Art. 25
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?	$624 - $3,745, depending on the number of courses within the department pp. 26 & 27, Art. 7.6.3.A & p. 117, App. A. Past Policy $612 - $3,674, depending on the number of courses within the department pp. 26 & 27, Art. 7.6.3.A. Past Policy $567-$3,402, depending on the number of courses within the department pp. 26 & 27, Art. 7.6.3.A & p. 116, App. A.
General Salary Information
Are uncertified teachers paid less than fully certified teachers?	Yes Teachers who do not hold a full preliminary, clear or general credential are capped at Step 5, Class I of the salary schedule. p. 116, 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?	The Board may approve and award credit for experience when the duties performed were similar to those expected in the position being filled or were of a highly specialized and/or technical nature having an immediate or direct relationship to those expected in the position being filled, and the experience was full time and successful; one year of credit will be given for three years of experience (maximum amount of credit not specified) p. 134, IN.2.4.1 & 2.4.2.
Are teachers eligible for a longevity bonus? If so, in what year(s) of service is a teacher eligible?	Yes, in years 16, 21, and 26 To be eligible for longevity, teachers must be on the Class IV (MA or PhD) lane. p. 24, Art. 7.3 - 7.3.3.

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 annual evaluations until teacher has been dismissed or has achieved satisfactory performance (no maximum time to achieve satisfactory performance given) p. 15, Art. 5.5.7.
What is the process for dismissal of an ineffective teacher?	district acknowledges state law (Education Code 44932 et seq.) Administrative Regulation 4117.4: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
Does a nontenured teacher have any recourse if his/her contract is not renewed?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents Administrative Regulation 4117.6: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
By what date must a nontenured teacher be notified of non-renewal of his/her contract?	teacher in first year may be notified of non-renewal at any time during year; teacher in second year must be notified by March 15 in accordance with Education Code 44929.21 Administrative Regulation 4117.6: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
When must a tenured teacher be notified of his/her dismissal?	district acknowledges state law (Education Code 44932 et seq.) Administrative Regulation 4117.4: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31

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 students for learning; Developing as a professional educator) p. 9, Art. 5.1 & pp. 123 & 124, App. D-3.
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?	No Peer review is prohibited during the evaluation process. It is, however, a major component of the remediation process (Art. XX). p. 15, Art. 5.5.5.
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. 12, Art. 5.2.2.
What kind of feedback must the teacher receive following an evaluation?	Conference with evaluator p. 14, Art. 5.4.3
How many categories of ratings are there?	2: meet standards and below standards pp. 123 & 124, App. D-3.
Are evaluators required to give notice of an observation?	Yes Exception: The district requires teachers with 10+ years experience who volunteer for less frequent evaluations (1x/5 yrs, instead of 1x/2yrs) to agree to an unscheduled observation (p. 10, Art. 5.1.2.E.) p. 11, Art. 5.1.3.
Role of Student Achievement in Teacher Evaluation
How is student growth/achievement calculated for teachers of tested subjects?	n/a pp. 123 & 124, App. D-3.
How is student achievement/growth calculated for teachers of non-tested subjects?	n/a pp. 123 & 124, App. D-3.
Evaluation Requirements for non-tenured Teachers
How frequently do non-tenured teachers receive an evaluation rating?	Once a year p. 9, Art. 5.1.1.A.
What is the minimum number of times a non-tenured teacher must be observed during the evaluation?	2 formal p. 11, Art. 5.2.1.D.
What is the deadline for the first formal observation of the non-tenured teacher?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
What is the deadline for the final evaluation of the non-tenured teacher?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
What is the required minimum length of the formal observation for a non-tenured teacher?	15 minutes p. 11, Art. 5.2.1.C.
Evaluation Requirements for Tenured Teachers
How frequently do tenured teachers receive an evaluation rating?	Other once every two years except for teachers with 10+ years and satisfactory performance who may be evaluated once every five years p. 10, Art. 5.1.2.D & E.
What is the minimum number of times a tenured teacher must be observed during the evaluation?	1 The teacher shall have no more than 2 formal observations. The number may be reduced to 1 or increased to 3 following a positive or negative observation. pp. 11 & 12, Art. 5.2.1.D.
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?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
What is the minimum length of a tenured teacher's formal observation?	15 minutes p. 11, Art. 5.2.1.C.
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 annual evaluations until teacher has been dismissed or has achieved satisfactory performance (no maximum time to achieve satisfactory performance given) p. 15, Art. 5.5.7.
Does the district assign a mentor or support team to the teacher in remediation?	yes (Consulting Teacher through Peer Assistance and Review) p. 103, Art. 20.1.4.A.
How many classroom observations (minimum) are required during remediation?	Other multiple observations by Consulting Teacher plus unspecified number by administrator Presumably, the administrator also observes the teacher during the PAR year since he is ultimately responsible for the evaluation (p. 105, Art. 20.1.7) p. 104, Art. 20.1.4.J. & p. 106, Art. 20.1.7.
How long is the remediation process?	1 year (with possibility for extension) Although it is not stated explicitly, Peer Assistance and Review is a one-year program and the contract states that the struggling teacher is evaluated annually until dismissed or until s/he has achieved satisfactory performance. p. 15, Art. 5.5.7.
Can the teacher file a grievance or formally appeal an evaluation rating if there are no acknowledged procedural violations?	No p. 15, Art, 5.5.4.
Can a teacher request a second evaluation from a different evaluator?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

Layoffs questions

Layoffs
Must nontenured teachers be laid off before tenured?	Yes in accordance with Education Code 44955, 44956 Administrative Regulation 4117.3: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
Aside from program and staffing needs, what are the criteria for laying off teachers?	Seniority is the preponderant criterion. in accordance with Education Code 44955, 44956 Exceptions may be made to fulfill a demonstrated need for personnel or to maintain/achieve compliance with constitutional requirements related to equal protection of the law. Administrative Regulation 4117.3: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
In the case of a layoff, is seniority determined at the school level or district level?	District level in accordance with Education Code 44955, 44956 Administrative Regulation 4117.3: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
What is the notification deadline for teacher layoffs?	district acknowledges state law (Education Code 44949, 44955) Administrative Regulation 4117.3: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
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 in accordance with Education Code 44956, 44957 Administrative Regulation 4117.3: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31
How long does a laid off teacher retain recall rights?	39 months for tenured, 24 months for non-tenured in accordance with Education Code 44956, 44957 Administrative Regulation 4117.3: http://www.sausd.us/Page/31

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?	10.3 (10 sick, 8 of which may be used for personal reasons, .3 [2 hours] for a change in assignment or personal business) p. 54, Art. 10.2.3.A; p. 55, Art. 10.2.4.A; p. 55, Art. 10.2.5.A.
What is the total number of paid sick and personal days a teacher gets each year?	10 (10 sick, 8 of which may be used for personal reasons) p. 54, Art. 10.2.3.A & p. 55, Art. 10.2.4.A.
Can unused sick days carry over from one year to the next?	Yes p. 54, Art. 10.2.3.A.3.
Can unused personal days carry over from one year to the next?	No because personal days are taken from sick leave. p. 55, Art. 10.2.4.A.
What is the maximum number of sick days a teacher can accumulate?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
After how many days of absence does a teacher have to provide medical documentation for sick leave?	6 p. 54, Art. 10.2.3.F.
Professional Development Leave
Is there additional paid leave for any professional development not already scheduled and required by the district? How much?	Yes 1 year partially paid sabbatical (regular salary less 83% of Class I, Step 1) Employees must have completed seven (7) consecutive years of successful service in the District in order to be eligible for sabbatical leave. pp. 60-62, Art. 10.3.6.B.6.A. & 6.a.
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?	bereavement (3-5 days per occurrence), jury duty (unlimited), court subpoena (unlimited), industrial accident or illness (60 days) Each unit member shall be granted three (3) duty days of paid absence, or five (5) duty days if out of state or travel of more than 250 miles one way is involved. p. 56, Art. 10.2.6.A; p. 56, Art. 10.2.7; p. 56, Art. 10.2.8.A.
Is leave available for a teacher to attend union associated activities (not counting leave given to elected union representatives)?	yes, 100 days to be shared district-wide with no individual unit member using more than 20 days per school year p. 5, Art. 4.6.
Attendance Incentives
When are leave days restricted or subject to refusal?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
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. 55, Art. 10.2.4.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. 55, Art. 10.2.4.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 1 year partially paid sabbatical (regular salary less 83% of Class I, Step 1) Employees must have completed seven (7) consecutive years of successful service in the District in order to be eligible for sabbatical leave. pp. 60-62, Art. 10.3.6.B.6.A. & 6.a.
How long is the mentorship program for a new teacher?	2 years
How long is the standard orientation that the district provides for new teachers?	issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents

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.sausd.us/Page/31
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, in accordance with state law p. 70, Art. 11.8.2.E.
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?	no, the district selects the most qualified candidate p. 70, Art. 11.8.3.
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?	curricular modifications, other educational needs p. 72, Art. 11.9.2.
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. Seniority is the deciding factor if posted qualifications, posted educationally-related needs and legal requirements are equal. p. 70, Art. 11.8.3.A.B & C. & p. 72, Art. 11.9.1.B.
How are teachers identified for excessing?	multiple criteria applied in no particular order including posted qualifications, posted educationally-related needs and legal requirements; seniority is used if these factors are equal p. 70, Art. 11.8.3.A.B & C. & p. 72, Art. 11.9.1.B.
Placing Excessed Teachers
How are excessed teachers assigned to schools?	Issue not addressed in scope of NCTQ reviewed documents
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. 107, Art. 21.
Do teachers have a vote in a request for a waiver?	yes, waivers are approved with 70% + 1 of the affected Unit Members voting “Yes” p. 107, Art. 21.3.
What requirements must be met for a waiver of contract provisions to be approved?	70% + 1 of the affected Unit Members voting “Yes, ” and approval of district management p. 107, Art. 21.1 & 21.3.