1541.01 - ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF REDUCTION IN FORCE

Indian Valley Local School District

Bylaws & Policies

1541.01 - ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF REDUCTION IN FORCE

The purpose of this policy is to provide for reasons and procedures for a reduction in force of the administrative staff of the School District when the Board of Education considers such a reduction to be necessary. For purposes of this policy, the terms "administrator" and "administrators" refer to those persons employed under authority of R.C. 3319.02.

	A.	Reasons for a Reduction in Force
		The Board of Education may implement a reduction in force in the ranks of administrators, through suspension of one (1) or more administrative contracts, for one (1) or more of the following reasons:

		1.	Return to duty of administrators from leaves of absence.
		2.	Territorial changes affecting the School District as a whole, or one (1) or more School District facilities.
		3.	Decreased enrollment of students in the School District, at one (1) or more school facilities, or in one (1) or more instructional programs, regardless of whether such decrease occurs from one (1) school year to the next, or within one (1) school year.
		4.	Closure of one (1) or more school facilities.
		5.	Reorganization of the School District administrative staff in whole or in part, or the consolidation or redistribution of administrative functions.
		6.	The financial condition of the School District as determined by the Board.
		7.	Lack of sufficient work as determined by the Board.

	B.	Order of Contract Suspension
		The order in which administrator contracts will be suspended to implement a reduction in force pursuant to this policy shall be determined as follows:

		1.	When a reduction is necessary due to an administrator returning from leave of absence, the administrator holding the position or the most similar position from which the administrator took a leave of absence shall have his/her contract suspended.
		2.	When reductions in force are based upon reasons affecting one (1) or more identifiable School District facilities or programs, only the administrators associated with such facilities or programs are subject to the reduction in force.
		3.	When identifying which administrators will be subject of a reduction in force, consideration will be given to first suspending the contracts of administrators who have the least seniority in the School District, with seniority defined as years of continuous employment under a regular contract of any kind with the Board of Education. Seniority, however, is not controlling. The overriding considerations in determining the order of suspension of contracts shall be the efficient use of personnel and available resources, and the best interests of the students served by the School District.

	C.	Procedure for Implementing Reduction in Force
		The procedure for implementing a reduction in force among the administrative staff shall be as follows:

		1.	The administrative positions to be reduced through contract suspension shall be identified by the Superintendent. The affected administrators will be notified by the Superintendent of the anticipated reduction and given an opportunity to resign prior to Board action.
		2.	Contracts may be suspended by Board of Education action at a regular or special meeting. Administrators whose contracts have been suspended shall be given written notice by the Board of Education of the action, which shall include the date the suspension takes effect if the date is other than the date of Board action.
		3.	A reduction in force can include a reduction from full-time to part-time service.

	D.	Recall of Administrators
		Administrators whose contracts have been suspended pursuant to a reduction in force shall have right of recall to active service as follows for a period of one (1) year only from the date of contract suspension:

		1.	Administrators whose contracts have been suspended pursuant to this policy shall have the right to be recalled to active service to the same or similar administrative position for which they qualify, when such a position next becomes available in the School District, with priority given to administrators whose contracts have been suspended the longest. An administrator is qualified for return to service in the same or similar administrative position when all of the following are satisfied: the administrator holds the required certification when notified of the recall; the available position is at the same pay grade level as the position the administrator held at the time of contract suspension; and the duties and responsibilities of the available position are comparable to the position the administrator held at the time of contract suspension, all as determined by the Superintendent.
		2.	The recall of an administrator to active service shall be offered by written notice from the Superintendent to the administrator. The administrator shall have ten (10) days from receipt of the notice in which to accept or decline the offered position in writing delivered to the Superintendent.
		3.	If an administrator declines recall to active service in the school does not respond to a recall notice in a timely manner, the administrator shall be deemed to have resigned from employment with the Board and all recall or other employment rights are extinguished as of the date recall is declined.

Revised 6/18/07
Revised 4/21/08