§ 6-17-1510 - Board action on termination or nonrenewal -- Appeal. - Arkansas Statutes

6-17-1510. Board action on termination or nonrenewal -- Appeal.

(a) Upon conclusion of its hearing with respect to the termination or nonrenewal of a contract of a teacher who has been employed as a full-time teacher by the school district for less than three (3) continuous years, the board of directors shall take action on the recommendations by the superintendent with respect to the termination or nonrenewal of such contract. The board of director's decision with regard to nonrenewal of a probationary teacher shall be final.

(b) Any certified teacher who has been employed continuously by the school district three (3) or more years or who may have achieved nonprobationary status pursuant to 6-17-1502 may only be terminated or the board of directors may refuse to renew the contract of the teacher when there is a reduction in force created by districtwide reduction in certified staff, for incompetent performance, conduct which materially interferes with the continued performance of the teacher's duties, repeated or material neglect of duty, or other just and reasonable cause. Upon completion of the hearing, the board of directors, within ten (10) days after the holding of the hearing, shall:

(1) Uphold the recommendation of the superintendent to terminate or not renew the teacher's contract;

(2) Reject or modify the superintendent's recommendation to terminate or not renew the teacher's contract; or

(3) Vote to continue the contract of the teacher under such restrictions, limitations, or assurances as the board of directors may deem to be in the best interest of the school district. The decision shall be reached by the board of directors within ten (10) days from the date of the hearing, and a copy shall be furnished in writing to the teacher involved, either by personally delivering it to the teacher or by addressing it to the teacher's last known address by registered or certified mail.

(c) Subsequent to any hearing granted a teacher by this subchapter, the board of directors, by majority vote, shall make specific written conclusions with regard to the truth of each reason given the teacher in support of the recommended termination or nonrenewal.

(d) The exclusive remedy for any nonprobationary teacher aggrieved by the decision made by the board of directors shall be an appeal therefrom to the circuit court of the county in which the school district is located, within seventy-five (75) days of the date of written notice of the action of the board of directors. Additional testimony and evidence may be introduced on appeal to show facts and circumstances showing that the termination or nonrenewal was lawful or unlawful.