Public school teachers; probationary term of service, grounds for dismissal, and dismissal hearings.

Public school teachers; probationary term ofservice, grounds for dismissal, and dismissal hearings. Permits each school board to extend for up to two additional years the three-yearprobationary term of service that is required for each teacher inthe school division before the issuance of a continuing contractand prohibits each school board from reemploying a teacher whoseperformance evaluation during such probationary period is not satisfactory.The bill provides that, for the purpose of the dismissal of a teacherfor cause, the term "incompetency" may be construed to include consistentfailure to meet the endorsement requirements for the position orone or more unsatisfactory performance evaluations. The bill alsoeliminates the option for a school board to conduct a teacher dismissalhearing before a three-member fact-finding panel, requires each suchhearing to be set no later than 15 days after the request for thehearing, and reduces from 10 days to five days the minimum periodof advance written notice to the teacher of the time and place ofsuch hearing.