This is the time of year when districts are finalizing staffing positions for next year. We hope the district’s HR staff are familiar with and have been using TxSP resources in our Personnel Section. In addition, we want to provide you with a list of all the HR filing cabinets that could be helpful at end-of-the-year events for personnel.
- Review our new protocol and updated letters for Contract Status Notifications. The protocol reviews the requirements, process, and timelines. Three letters are included for teachers and administrators where the board of trustees does not take action on contracts or returns a teacher to a probationary contract.
- Another section that might be helpful to review at this time of year is our filing cabinet, Separation Processes. This cabinet includes folders on contract abandonment, non-renewals and terminations, reassignments, reductions in force, and resignations.
TxSP has had several district inquiries to expand information and training on handling staff’s poor behavior. See the section below for information that districts can use to help train campus administrators and supervisors. This section does not address teacher performance, only job behaviors.
- TxSP has developed a new protocol in the Disciplinary Actions for Behavior filing drawer. The protocol covers a legal basis, an optional flexible, progressive process, questions to consider when determining when to intervene, different written formats (e.g., sample written warnings, directives, and reprimands), and optional disciplinary actions.
- To accompany the protocol above, TxSP has just posted a new two to three-hour interactive workshop, Progressive Action for Discipline, for campus administrators or supervisors. The workshop explores why it is essential to address poor staff behaviors, identify the behaviors that can be addressed, understand when to intervene, and know how to intervene. This training would be suitable for all administrators for baseline knowledge, or as an orientation to new APs to campus, new administrators, and aspiring administrators.
- Principals should be aware of the two Exceptions to Disciplinary Actions against teachers. The two exceptions are immunity from using physical force under certain circumstances and negative actions regarding teachers’ refusal to address policy or debated political issues regarding instructional materials.
- The Misconduct Requirements and Documents filing cabinet also includes individual employee searches, searches of electronic devices, employee arrest procedures, and requirements for reporting specific behaviors to SBEC.
