School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Regulation 4-57.1

PERSONNEL

Licensed Personnel: Contracts

These regulations will govern the issuance of continuing contracts.

A. Definition

As used in this regulation, the following terms will have the following meanings:

1. "Teacher" will mean a person: (a) who is regularly employed for more than ninety (90) consecutive work days, such as a classroom teacher, visiting teacher, guidance counselor or librarian, and (b) who holds a valid teaching license.
   
   
2. "Principal" will mean a person: (a) who is regularly employed full-time as a principal or assistant principal, and (b) who holds a valid administrative license.
   
   
3. "Coordinator or Specialist" will mean a person: (a) who is regularly employed full-time in a coordinator capacity, and (b) who is required to hold a license by the Board of Education in order to be employed in that position.

B. Eligibility for Continuing Contract

1. Only persons regularly employed full-time by a school board as teachers, Principals, or Coordinators/Specialists will be eligible for continuing contract status.
   
   
2. A probationary term of service of three years in the same school division is required prior to the issuance of a continuing contract. Once a continuing contract status has been attained in a school division in the Commonwealth, another probationary period need not be served in any other school division unless such probationary period, not to exceed one year, is made a part of the contract of employment.
   
   
3. A person employed as a Principal or Coordinator/Specialist, including a person who has previously achieved continuing contract status as a teacher, will serve three years in such position in the same school division before acquiring continuing contract status as Principal, or Coordinator/Specialist.
   
   
4. In calculating probationary terms of service for teachers, Principals, and Coordinators/Specialists, employment for 180 or more teaching days during one school year will constitute a single year of service. In the first year of service by a teacher, 160 or more teaching days will be deemed the equivalent of one year.
   
   
5. If a teacher, Principal, or Coordinator/Specialist separates from service during his/her probationary period and does not return to service in the same school division by the beginning of the next year following the year of separation, such person will be required to begin a new probationary period.
   
   
6. If a teacher who has attained continuing contract status in a school division in the Commonwealth separates from service and returns to service in a school division in Virginia by the beginning of the third year, such teacher will be required to serve a probationary period not to exceed one year.

C. Teaching Outside State Public School System Not Counted in Probationary Term

Teaching service outside of the Virginia public school system will not be counted as meeting in whole or in part the required probationary term.

D. Continuing Contracts Restricted

Continuing contracts may be executed on behalf of persons holding in force a postgraduate, collegiate professional, or a vocational license.

E. Contractual Period

A ten-month contractual period for teachers is defined to include a maximum of 200 days as follows:

1. A minimum of 180 teaching days (as required by law);
   
   
2. 10 days for such activities as teaching, planning for the opening of school, evaluation, completing records and reports incident to the closing of each semester or school year, committee assignments, and conferences as are defined by the local School Board; and
   
   
3. 10 days for a continuation of activities under items 1 and 2, and/or such other activities as may be assigned or approved in the discretion of the local School Board s. Items 1 and 2 specify a minimum number of days for specific purposes. Item 3 refers to 10 days subject to optional use as determined by the local School Board.

All other continuing contract personnel will work the days identified in the published work calendar.

F. Nonrenewal of Teacher Contracts

Except as provided in Va. Code § 22.1-305 and except in the case of a reduction in force as provided in subsection F.1. written notice of non-renewal of the contract must be given by the School Board on or before April 15.

Prior to non-renewal of a contract for a teacher for the ensuing school year, the following procedures will have been achieved.

1. The Principal must have kept a dated, written record of evidence of the teacher's difficulties. Complaints concerning the teacher must be shared by the Principal with the teacher within a reasonable period of time.
   
   
2. The principal or assistant principal must have systematically observed the teacher's program and at least one such observation must have been in the classroom, and the principal must have presented the teacher in writing:
   
   1. The strengths observed;
   2. The weaknesses observed; and
   3. Suggestions for improvement.
      
3. At the discretion of the principal, a coordinator/specialist from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction may have been designated to observe the teacher’s program, with at least one observation in the classroom. Following such observation(s), the teacher will be provided a copy of the written report given to the Principal including:
   
   1. The strengths observed;
   2. The weaknesses observed; and
   3. Suggestions for improvement.
      
4. The teacher involved may also have had an opportunity to observe other teachers with equivalent assignments.
   
   
5. Appeal Procedure
   
   A teacher on probationary status will be entitled to appeal procedures as authorized in Virginia Code § 22.1-305.

Legal References:

 

Va. Code § 22.1-294. Probationary terms of service for principals, assistant principals and supervisors: evaluation; reassigning principal, assistant principal or supervisor to teaching position.

Va. Code § 22.1-299. License required of teachers.

Va. Code § 22.1-302. Written contracts required: execution of contracts; qualifications of temporarily employed teachers; rules and regulations.

Va. Code § 22.1-303. Probation terms of service for teachers.

Va. Code § 22.1-304. Reemployment of teacher who has not achieved continuing contract status; effect of continuing contract; resignation of teacher; reduction in number of teachers.

Va. Code § 22.1-305. Nonrenewal of contract of probationary teacher.

Approved by Superintendent: July 16, 1991
Revised by Superintendent: March 28, 2001
Revised by Superintendent: March 8, 2006