Professional Staff Recruiting and Hiring

FILE: GDC

Critical

PROFESSIONAL STAFF RECRUITING AND HIRING

Because an effective educational program requires quality staff members, the Board and the administration of the New Franklin R-I School District will make every effort possible to attract and retain qualified, highly skilled and experienced personnel.

The district's hiring procedures will comply with all federal and state laws, including laws prohibiting discrimination. All teachers and administrators must have valid certification to teach in Missouri schools or, when employment of a person without appropriate certification is unavoidable or necessary as determined by the district, must obtain the appropriate certification by a district-specified deadline. The district is an equal opportunity employer and hires only citizens of the United States and persons who are legally authorized to work in the United States. The New Franklin R-I School District will enroll and actively participate in a federal work authorization program in accordance with law.

A majority of the Board must vote to employ any person or enter into an employment contract.

Recruiting and Advertising

Efforts will be made to recruit the best-qualified candidate for the position. New or vacant positions will be posted for at least five business days in the district's buildings and publicized externally by other means as determined appropriate by the superintendent or designee. However, if the superintendent or designee determines that it would be detrimental to wait five business days or that a longer period is necessary, the position will be advertised for the number of days deemed appropriate. Further, if the same or similar position was recently advertised, the superintendent or designee may utilize applications previously received without re-advertising the position. A position is not considered vacant if the superintendent or designee transfers or assigns an existing employee to the position, subject to Board approval.

Recruitment procedures will not overlook the talents and potential of individuals already employed by the school district. Any current, qualified employee meeting the stated requirements may apply for new or vacant positions in the district.

All requests for information concerning professional staff vacancies in the district shall be directed to the superintendent or designee.

Screening Process

Persons interested in positions in the district must complete a formal application and provide all necessary information requested by the superintendent or designee. The superintendent or designee shall conduct interviews, review references and obtain other information as deemed necessary.

The superintendent or designee will conduct background checks on employees and applicants for employment in accordance with law and Board policy.

Any applicant who provides false information or inaccurate academic credentials will immediately be removed from consideration.

Hiring

A position other than the superintendent's position will be filled by the Board of Education only after receiving the recommendation of the superintendent or designee. It is the policy of the Board of Education to employ qualified teachers with post-secondary degrees from fully accredited universities and the appropriate teaching certificates. In making recommendations, the superintendent or designee shall give first consideration to applicants who, in addition to proper general education qualifications, have special training and other qualifications for the particular type of vacancy to be filled. If a candidate is not acceptable to the Board, the superintendent or designee should recommend another candidate.

Before the Board votes to employ an applicant in a position that requires a certificate or other professional license, the superintendent or designee will verify that the applicant currently possesses the appropriate license or certification. Upon the recommendation of the superintendent or designee, the Board may approve the employment of an applicant to a certificated position for which the individual does not have a current certificate, but the employment will be conditioned upon the applicant completing the certification process by a district-specified deadline. The superintendent or designee will also reverify licenses and certifications once they are renewed.

All applicants for a particular position will be promptly notified once the position has been filled.

Board Members

The district will not accept an application of employment from a Board member, consider a Board member for employment or decide to employ a Board member while the member remains on the New Franklin R-I School District Board of Education. Board members who wish to apply for employment in the district must first resign from the Board.

Spouses of Board Members

In accordance with law, a Board member's spouse will only be hired to fill a vacant or new position if the position has been advertised in accordance with this policy and the superintendent has submitted a written recommendation supporting the employment of the spouse. If a Board member's spouse is hired, the names of all applicants for that position and the name of the individual hired will be included in the appropriate Board minutes.

Critical Shortage of Teachers

If the district determines that it has a shortage of certificated teachers, the district may hire retired certificated teachers receiving retirement benefits from the Missouri Public School Retirement System to teach full time for up to two years without loss of benefits to the teacher if the district meets the requirements set by state law. The district may only hire retired teachers under this program if it has:

1. Made a good-faith effort to fill positions with candidates who have not retired.

2. Not offered early retirement incentives for either of the previous two years.

3. Posted the vacancy for at least one month and solicited applications through local newspapers,

other media or teacher education programs.

4. Determined that there is an insufficient number of eligible applicants.

5. Declared a critical shortage of certificated teachers that is active for one year.

The total number of retired teachers hired under this section cannot exceed at any one time the lesser of ten percent of the total teacher staff in the district or five certificated teachers. This provision does not apply to a retired certificated teacher employed as a superintendent.

Employment Contracts

The district will only offer employment contracts to certificated employees who are required by law to receive a contract. All other professional staff will be considered at-will employees and will not be offered contracts.

All employment contracts will comply with applicable law. The superintendent or designee is authorized to seek legal advice regarding district employment contracts.

When an employee is initially offered employment, he or she will be given a written copy of the applicable contract and a deadline by which the signed contract must be returned to the district.

Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness

In accordance with law, the district will provide current, accurate and complete information to each new employee regarding eligibility for public service loan forgiveness. The notice will be provided within ten days following the start of employment.

Adopted: 12/17/2008

Revised: 2/17/2010

1/17/2011

1/17/2017

Cross Refs: AC, Prohibition against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation

BBFA, Board Member Conflict of Interest and Financial Disclosure

DD, Grants

DGA, Authorized Signatures

MSIP Refs: 5.1, 8.4

Legal Refs: '' 105.255, .1445, 162.261, .301, 168.101 - .133, 169.331, .596, 213.010, .055, .070, 285.530, 290.400 - .410, 335.075, RSMo.

Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, 8 U.S.C. ' 1324a

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. ' 1681

Equal Pay Act, 29 U.S.C. ' 206(d)

Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. '' 621 - 634

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, 29 U.S.C. ' 794

Family and Medical Leave Act, 29 U.S.C. ' 2615

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. '' 2000d - 2000d-7

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. '' 2000e - 2000e-17

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, 42 U.S.C. '' 2000ff - 2000ff-11

Age Discrimination Act of 1975, 42 U.S.C. '' 6101 - 6107

Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. '' 12101 - 12213

New Franklin R-I School District, New Franklin, Missouri