22.1-294 - Probationary terms of service for principals, assistant principals and supervisors; evaluation; reassigning principal, assistant principal or supervisor to teaching position. - Virginia Statutes

§ 22.1-294. Probationary terms of service for principals, assistantprincipals and supervisors; evaluation; reassigning principal, assistantprincipal or supervisor to teaching position.

A. A person employed as a principal, assistant principal or supervisor,including a person who has previously achieved continuing contract status asa teacher, shall serve three years in such position in the same schooldivision before acquiring continuing contract status as principal, assistantprincipal or supervisor.

B. Each local school board shall adopt for use by the division superintendentclearly defined criteria for a performance evaluation process for principals,assistant principals, and supervisors that are consistent with theperformance objectives set forth in the Guidelines for Uniform PerformanceStandards and Evaluation Criteria for Teachers, Administrators, andSuperintendents as provided in § 22.1-253.13:5 and that includes, among otherthings, an assessment of such administrators' skills and knowledge; studentacademic progress and school gains in student learning; and effectiveness inaddressing school safety and enforcing student discipline. The divisionsuperintendent shall implement such performance evaluation process in makingemployment recommendations to the school board pursuant to § 22.1-293.

C. Continuing contract status acquired by a principal, assistant principal orsupervisor shall not be construed (i) as prohibiting a school board fromreassigning such principal, assistant principal or supervisor to a teachingposition if notice of reassignment is given by the school board by April 15of any year or (ii) as entitling any such principal, assistant principal orsupervisor to the salary paid him as principal, assistant principal orsupervisor in the case of any such reassignment to a teaching position.

D. No such salary reduction and reassignment, however, shall be made withoutfirst providing such principal, assistant principal or supervisor withwritten notice of the reason for such reduction and reassignment and anopportunity to present his or her position at an informal meeting with thedivision superintendent, the division superintendent's designee or the schoolboard. The principal, assistant principal or supervisor shall elect whethersuch meeting shall be with the division superintendent, the divisionsuperintendent's designee or the school board. The school board, divisionsuperintendent or the division superintendent's designee shall determine whatprocesses are to be followed at the meeting. The decision to reassign andreduce salary shall be at the sole discretion of the school board.

The intent of this section is to provide an opportunity for a principal,assistant principal or supervisor to discuss the reasons for such salaryreduction and reassignment with the division superintendent, his designee orthe school board, and the provisions of this section are meant to beprocedural only. Nothing contained herein shall be taken to require cause, asdefined in § 22.1-307, for the salary reduction and reassignment of aprincipal, assistant principal or supervisor.

E. As used in this section, "supervisor" means a person who holds asupervisory position as specified in the regulations of the Board ofEducation and who is required to hold a license as prescribed by the Board ofEducation.

(Code 1950, § 22-217.3; 1968, c. 691; 1969, Ex. Sess., c. 3; 1976, cc. 191,226; 1979, c. 275; 1980, c. 559; 1982, c. 47; 1992, c. 132; 1999, cc. 1030,1037; 2005, cc. 331, 450.)