Section 3319.17. Reduction in number of teachers - restoration

(A) As used in this section, "interdistrict contract" means any contract or agreement entered into by an educational service center governing board and another board or other public entity pursuant to section 3313.17, 3313.841, 3313.842, 3313.843, 3313.844, 3313.845, 3313.91, or 3323.08 of the Revised Code, including any such contract or agreement for the provision of services funded under division (E) of section 3317.024 of the Revised Code .

(B) When, for any of the following reasons that apply to any city, exempted village, local, or joint vocational school district or any educational service center, the board decides that it will be necessary to reduce the number of teachers it employs, it may make a reasonable reduction:

(1) In the case of any district or service center, return to duty of regular teachers after leaves of absence including suspension of schools, territorial changes affecting the district or center, or financial reasons;

(2) In the case of any city, exempted village, local, or joint vocational school district, decreased enrollment of pupils in the district;

(3) In the case of any governing board of a service center providing any particular service directly to pupils pursuant to one or more interdistrict contracts requiring such service, reduction in the total number of pupils the governing board is required to provide with the service under all interdistrict contracts as a result of the termination or nonrenewal of one or more of these interdistrict contracts;

(4) In the case of any governing board providing any particular service that it does not provide directly to pupils pursuant to one or more interdistrict contracts requiring such service, reduction in the total level of the service the governing board is required to provide under all interdistrict contracts as a result of the termination or nonrenewal of one or more of these interdistrict contracts.

(C) In making any such reduction, any city, exempted village, local, or joint vocational school board shall proceed to suspend contracts in accordance with the recommendation of the superintendent of schools who shall, within each teaching field affected, give preference to teachers on continuing contracts. The board shall not give preference to any teacher based on seniority, except when making a decision between teachers who have comparable evaluations.

On a case-by-case basis, in lieu of suspending a contract in whole, a board may suspend a contract in part, so that an individual is required to work a percentage of the time the employee otherwise is required to work under the contract and receives a commensurate percentage of the full compensation the employee otherwise would receive under the contract.

The teachers whose continuing contracts are suspended by any board pursuant to this section shall have the right of restoration to continuing service status by that board if and when teaching positions become vacant or are created for which any of such teachers are or become qualified. No teacher whose continuing contract has been suspended pursuant to this section shall lose that right of restoration to continuing service status by reason of having declined recall to a position that is less than full-time or, if the teacher was not employed full-time just prior to suspension of the teacher's continuing contract, to a position requiring a lesser percentage of full-time employment than the position the teacher last held while employed in the district or service center. Seniority shall not be the basis for rehiring a teacher, except when making a decision between teachers who have comparable evaluations.

(D) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code:

(1) The requirements of this section, as it existed prior to September 29, 2011, prevail over any conflicting provisions of agreements between employee organizations and public employers entered into between September 29, 2005, and September 29, 2011;

(2) The requirements of this section, as it exists on and after September 29, 2011, prevail over any conflicting provisions of agreements between employee organizations and public employers entered into on or after September 29, 2011.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01. See act for effective dates.

Effective Date: 07-01-1998; 09-29-2005; 06-30-2006; 09-28-2006