§ 6-17-301 - Employment of certified personnel. - Arkansas Statutes

6-17-301. Employment of certified personnel.

(a) (1) A school board of directors may employ superintendents, deputy superintendents, assistant superintendents, and high school principals, as well as department heads, coaches, teachers, and other certified 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 Department of Education because of:

(i) Commitments made by the superintendent of which the school 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 board of directors relied upon to the detriment of the school district;

(B) Exhausted all appeals of the department'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 board of directors after the hearing described in subdivision (b)(2) of this section.