§ 6-17-301 — Employment of licensed personnel

(a) (1) A school district board of directors may employ superintendents, deputy superintendents, assistant superintendents, and high school principals, as well as department heads, coaches, teachers, and other licensed personnel by written contract for a period of time not more than three (3) years. (2) A contract may be renewed annually. (b) A superintendent's contract of employment with a school district may be terminated for cause and without the school district's having any further financial obligation to the superintendent if: (1) The school district has: (A) Been placed on fiscal distress by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education because of: (i) Commitments made by the superintendent of which the school district board of directors had no notice or knowledge; or (ii) A material misrepresentation made by the superintendent concerning the school district's finances that the school district board of directors relied upon to the detriment of the school district; and (B) Exhausted all appeals of the division's decision regarding the fiscal distress determination; (2) The superintendent was provided: (A) Notice of the reason for termination; (B) A hearing to allow the superintendent to explain or rebut the reasons stated in the notice; and (C) A record of the hearing provided at the expense of the school district; and (3) The superintendent's contract was terminated by a majority vote of the full school district board of directors after the hearing described in subdivision (b)(2)(B) of this section. (c) (1) An individual whose license is suspended or revoked by the State Board of Education for a disqualifying offense under § 6-17-410 or an ethical violation under § 6-17-428 is not eligible to be employed at a school district, public school, or public charter school, including as a substitute teacher whether directly employed by the school district or public charter school or providing substitute teaching services under contract with an outside entity. (2) The restriction in this subsection shall expire upon the expiration of the term of a suspension of the license. (3) The employment of a person in violation of this subsection is a violation of the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts.

Legislative History

Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 1364, eff. 7/1/2019. Amended by Act 2015, No. 1090,§ 2, eff. 7/22/2015. Acts 1969, No. 145, § 1; 1969, No. 215, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 80-1235, 80-1236; Acts 2003, No. 1738, § 2; 2007, No. 617, § 9; 2009, No. 1203, § 1; 2009, No. 1469, § 7; 2011, No. 989, § 32.