ORS 342.845: Contract teacher; part-time contract teacher; effect of program transfer; administrator contracts.

(1) A contract teacher shall not be subjected to the requirement of annual appointment nor shall the teacher be dismissed or employed on a part-time basis without the consent of the teacher except as provided in ORS 342.805 to 342.937. (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a part-time contract teacher attains contract status at not less than half-time but less than full-time and may be assigned within those limits by the school district. The assignment of a contract part-time teacher is not subject to the procedures specified in ORS 342.805 to 342.930. A contract part-time teacher who accepts a full-time assignment shall be considered a contract teacher for purposes of the assignment. (3) No teacher shall be deprived of employment status solely because the duties of employment have been assumed or acquired by another school district or education service district in a state reorganization of a regional special education program. Where such reorganization occurs, a teacher shall be transferred to the employment of the school district or education service district which assumed or acquired program responsibilities. The teacher shall be allowed to transfer accrued sick leave and experience status to the new district. However, the district to which the programs are transferred is obligated to hire displaced employees only to the extent that such would complement a cost effective staffing plan in the reorganized program. (4)(a) As used in this subsection: (A) “Juvenile detention education program” means the Juvenile Detention Education Program, as defined in ORS 326.695. (B) “School district” means a school district as defined in ORS 332.002, an education service district, a state-operated school or any legally constituted combination of such entities. (b) No teacher shall be deprived of employment status solely because the duties of employment have been assumed or acquired by another school district or education service district pursuant to a transfer of juvenile detention education program responsibilities to another school district or education service district. Where such reorganization occurs, a teacher shall be transferred to the employment of the school district or education service district that assumed or acquired program responsibilities. The teacher shall be allowed to transfer accrued sick leave, seniority and status as a contract teacher. However, the district to which the program is transferred is obligated to hire displaced teachers only to the extent that such would complement a cost-effective staffing plan in the reorganized program. (5)(a) An administrator shall serve a probationary period that does not exceed three years, unless the administrator and the school district mutually agree to a shorter time period. Following a probationary period, an administrator shall be employed by a school district pursuant to a three-year employment contract. An administrator may be dismissed or have a reduction in pay during the term of a contract for any reason set forth for dismissal of a teacher in ORS 342.865, or pursuant to ORS 342.934 (6). If an administrator is dismissed or has a reduction in pay during the term of the contract, the administrator may appeal to the Fair Dismissal Appeals Board in the same manner as provided for the appeal of a dismissal or a nonextension of a contract teacher. An administrator may not appeal the nonextension of a contract to the Fair Dismissal Appeals Board. (b) The administrator may be assigned and reassigned at will during the term of the contract. (c) The district school board may elect not to extend the administrator’s contract for any cause the school board in good faith considers sufficient. Prior to March 15 of the second year of the administrator’s contract, the school board shall take one of the following actions: (A) Issue a new three-year contract effective July 1 following the March 15 of the second year of the administrator’s contract; (B) Provide, in writing, notice that the contract will not be renewed or extended; or (C) Extend the existing contract for a period of not more than one year. (6) If an administrator receives notice of contract nonextension prior to the expiration of the administrator’s contract, the administrator shall have the right to fill any vacant teaching position in the district for which the contract administrator is licensed and competent as defined in ORS 342.934, provided the administrator has three years’ teaching experience in Oregon that has been successful, in the judgment of the district superintendent. [1965 c.608 §§5,6; 1977 c.880 §2; 1983 c.554 §1; 1983 s.s. c.1 §2; 1993 c.480 §2; 1997 c.864 §8; 2001 c.681 §9; 2007 c.858 §37; 2021 c.445 §3]