8.30—CLASSIFIED PERSONNEL REDUCTION IN FORCE

SECTION ONE

The School Board acknowledges its authority to conduct a reduction in force (RIF) when a decrease in enrollment or other reason(s) make such a reduction necessary or desirable. A RIF will be conducted when the need for a reduction in the work force exceeds the normal rate of attrition for that portion of the staff that is in excess of the needs of the district as determined by the superintendent.

In effecting a RIF, the primary goals of the school district shall be: what is in the best interests of the students; to maintain accreditation in compliance with the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and/or the North Central Association; and the needs of the district. A RIF will be implemented when the superintendent determines it is advisable to do so and shall be effected through non-renewal, termination, or both.  Any RIF will be conducted by evaluating the needs and long- and short-term goals of the school district in relation to the staffing of the district.

If a RIF becomes necessary, the RIF shall be conducted separately for each occupational category of classified personnel identified within the district on the basis of each employee’s points as determined by the schedule contained in this policy. The employee within each occupational category with the fewest number of points will not be recommended for renewal or will be terminated first.

Points

Employee experience in the district in the role being RIF’d.

2 points - Has the most years of service in the district in the role being RIF’d.

1 points - Has less years of service in the district than the employee with the most years in the role being RIF’d.

Has a certification (s) that is relevant to the position

1 point - per relevant certification tied to the position

Effectiveness in the role being RIF’d.

3 points - Is the most effective worker in the role being RIF’d based on the most recent evaluation.

1 point - Is less effective than the most effective worker in the role being RIF’d based on the most recent evaluation.

When the District is conducting a RIF, all potentially affected classified employees shall receive a listing of the personnel within their category with corresponding point totals. Upon receipt of the list, each employee has ten (10) working days within which to appeal their point total to the superintendent whose decision shall be final. Except for changes made pursuant to the appeals process, no changes will be made to the list that would affect an employee’s total after the list is released.

Except as may occur during a RIF in the District’s teaching staff, there is no right or implied right for any employee to “bump” or displace any other employee. When there is a RIF of the District’s teaching staff, a teacher with full licensure in a position shall prevail over a teacher with greater points but who is lacking full licensure in that subject area. “Full licensure” means an initial, or standard, non-contingent license to teach in a subject area or grade level, in contrast with a license that is provisional, temporary, or conditional on the fulfillment of additional coursework or passing exams or any other requirement of the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, other than the attainment of annual professional development training; or teaching under a waiver from licensure. The exception for a RIF in the District’s teaching staff specifically does not allow a licensed employee who might wish to assume a classified position to displace a classified employee.

In the event of a tie between two (2) or more employees, the employee(s) shall be retained based on the following:

* An employee with the highest evaluation rating shall be retained over an employee with the second highest evaluation rating.
* If both employees have the same evaluation rating, the employee whose name appears first in the Board minutes to be hired shall be retained.

Pursuant to any reduction in force brought about by consolidation or annexation and as a part of it, the salaries of all employees will be brought into compliance, by a partial RIF if necessary, with the receiving district’s salary schedule. Further adjustments will be made if length of contract or job assignments change. A Partial RIF may also be conducted in conjunction with any job reassignment whether or not it is conducted in relation to an annexation or consolidation.

There shall be no right of recall for any classified employee.

SECTION TWO

The employees of any school district which annexes to, or consolidates with, the West Fork School District will be subject to dismissal or retention at the discretion of the school board, on the recommendation of the superintendent, solely on the basis of need for such employees on the part of the West Fork School District, if any, at the time of the annexation or consolidation, or within ninety (90) days after the effective date of the annexation or consolidation. The need for any employee of the annexed or consolidated school district shall be determined solely by the superintendent and school board of the West Fork School District.

Such employees will not be considered as having any seniority within the West Fork School District and may not claim an entitlement under a RIF to any position held by a West Fork School District employee prior to, or at the time of, or prior to the expiration of ninety (90) days after the consolidation or annexation, if the notification provision below is undertaken by the superintendent.

The superintendent shall mail, email, or have hand-delivered the notification to such employee of the superintendent’s intention to recommend the employee not be renewed or be terminated pursuant to a RIF within ninety (90) days of the effective date of the annexation or consolidation in order to effect the provisions of this section of the West Fork School District’s RIF policy. Any employees who were not renewed or were terminated pursuant to Section Two are not subject to recall. Any such employees shall be paid at the rate for each person on the appropriate level on the salary schedule of the annexed or consolidated district during those ninety (90) days and/or through the completion of the RIF process.

This subsection of the RIF policy shall not be interpreted to provide that the superintendent must wait ninety (90) days from the effective date of the annexation or consolidation in order to issue a notification of the superintendent’s intention to recommend dismissal through RIF, but merely that the superintendent has that period of time in which to issue a notification so as to be able to invoke the provisions of this section.

The intention of this section is to ensure that those West Fork School District employees who are employed prior to the annexation or consolidation shall not be displaced by employees of the annexed or consolidated district by application of the RIF policy.

Legal Reference: A.C.A. § 6-17-2407

Date Adopted: June 8, 2009
Last Revised: June 12, 2024