Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes guidelines for the suspension of teachers and other professional employees within a school district.

Highlights:

• Authorizes any board of school directors to suspend professional employees for any of the following reasons (Sec. 1):
• A substantial decrease in pupil enrollment in the school district;
• Curtailment or alteration of the educational program as a result of a substantial decline in enrollment;
• Consolidation of schools, when such consolidation makes it unnecessary to retain the full staff of professional employees;
• Reorganization of school districts, when such reorganization makes it unnecessary to retain the full staff of professional employees; or
• Economic reasons, as part of a plan to reduce or control school district costs.

• Prohibits school districts from using economic reasons as the sole factor in determining which professional employees to suspend (Sec. 1).

• Requires a board of school directors to suspend professional employees in inverse order of seniority, unless an employee's 2 most recent performance reviews were unsatisfactory and the employee had an opportunity to complete a performance improvement plan prior to the most recent unsatisfactory review, in which case the board may suspend without regard to seniority (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes a school to reinstate a suspended professional employee at any time (Sec. 2).

• Requires a board of school directors to provide, at a public meeting, a resolution containing the following information prior to suspending any professional employees (Sec. 1):
• The reason for the suspension;
• The number and percentage of teachers to be suspended;
• The number and percentage of administrative staff to be suspended;
• The number and percentage of positions eliminated and a description of each position eliminated;
• The academic subjects, courses, electives and nonacademic activities that will be affected by the suspension;
• A description of other cost-saving actions undertaken by the school district; and
• The measures the school district will take to minimize any impact on student achievement caused by a suspension of employees.

Full Bill Text