Nonrenewal of Teacher or Professional Employee

The Board of Education shall comply with applicable provisions of the Georgia Fair Dismissal Law when issuing a reprimand to or terminating, demoting, suspending, or nonrenewal of teachers and other certificated professional employees.

Grounds for suspension or termination under the Fair Dismissal Law are the following:

1. Incompetency;
2. Insubordination;
3. Willful neglect of duties;
4. Immorality;
5. Inciting, encouraging, or counseling students to violate any valid state law, municipal ordinance, or policy or rule of the Board of Education;
6. To reduce staff due to loss of students or cancellation of programs and due to no fault or performance issue of the teacher, administrator, or other employee. In the event that a teacher, administrator, or other employee is terminated or suspended pursuant to this paragraph, the local unit of administration shall specify in writing to such teacher, administrator, or other employee that the termination or suspension is due to no fault or performance issues of such teacher, administrator, or other employee.
7. Failure to secure and maintain necessary educational training; or
8. Any other good and sufficient cause. A teacher, administrator, or other employee having a contract of employment for a definite term shall not have such contract terminated or suspended for refusal to alter a grade or grade report if the request to alter a grade or grade report was made without good and sufficient cause.

When the Board of Education intends to nonrenew the contract of a teacher or other professional employee whose position requires state certification and who was on the payroll of the school district at the beginning of the current school year, written notice of nonrenewal shall be given to such employee by May 15, unless the employee has resigned or been terminated prior to May 15. Upon the request of a certificated employee to whom a notice of nonrenewal has been given, the Superintendent shall provide a written explanation for the failure to renew the employee's contract.

The principal and/or division head will, at the appropriate time, provide the Superintendent through the Associate Superintendent of Human Resources and Talent Management recommendations for renewal or nonrenewal of contract. The Superintendent will make final recommendations for contract nonrenewal to the Board of Education. After the Board of Education's action, the Superintendent will notify in writing those teachers whose contracts are not renewed. The Superintendent shall have until May 15 to provide such notice.

When notice of nonrenewal is not given to such employee in accordance with Georgia law, the employee shall be offered a contract for the ensuing school year.