SB 1285 Summary

• Requires that the proportion of classroom teachers noticed and terminated at schools ranked in deciles 1-3 of the Academic Performance Index shall not exceed the proportion of classroom teachers noticed and terminated in the school district as a whole.

• Defines "classroom teacher" to include certificated employees whose primary responsibility is classroom instruction and those providing instructional support, such as resource teachers, mentor teachers, content specialists, instructional coaches, and special education teachers.

• Permits school districts to deviate from seniority-based layoffs and reappointments to maintain or achieve compliance with constitutional requirements related to equal protection of the laws as applied to both pupils and certificated employees.

• Requires administrative law judges to determine in their proposed decision whether termination notices at low-performing schools violate the proportion limits on classroom teacher layoffs.

• Requires school districts to provide written statements of specific criteria supporting determinations that notices issued satisfy the proportion requirements for schools in the lowest-performing deciles.