The Board of Education recognizes that it is vital to the successful operation of the District that positions created by the Board be filled with highly-qualified and competent personnel. Further, pursuant to the Administrative Rules Governing the Certification of Michigan Teachers, the Board requires that anyone employed as a professional staff member with instructional responsibilities in an elementary or secondary school in this District hold a certificate, permit, or vocational authorization valid for the positions to which s/he is assigned, and that the individual meets the established criteria to be highly qualified in his/her assignment.

The Board shall approve the employment, and also, when not covered by the terms of a negotiated, collectively-bargained agreement, fix the compensation, and establish the term of employment for each professional staff member employed by the Board.

Individuals employed in the following categories shall be considered members of the professional staff:

• Counselors/Social Workers

• Principals

• Teachers

• Directors

• Itinerant Staff

• Superintendent

• LFO

• Business Manager

• Coaches

All professional staff are subject to a criminal history record check. See Policy 3121.

Such approval shall be given only to those candidates for employment recommended by the Superintendent.

When any recommended candidate has been rejected by the Board, the Superintendent shall make a substitute recommendation.

Relatives of Board members may be employed by the Board, provided the Board member does not participate in any way in the discussion or vote on the employment when a conflict of interest is involved.

Relatives of staff members may be employed by the Board, provided the staff member being employed is not placed in a position in which s/he would be supervised directly by the relative staff member.

Applications for employment will not be accepted from any current District Board member. If a Board member wishes to apply for a position, his/her resignation must be accepted by the Board prior to submitting an application.

Any professional staff member's intentional misstatement of fact or omission material to his/her qualifications for employment or the determination of salary shall be considered by this Board to constitute grounds for dismissal.

The temporary employment of professional staff members prior to approval by the Board is authorized when their employment is required to maintain continuity in the educational program. Employment shall be recommended to the Board at the next regular meeting.

No candidate for employment to the professional staff as a nonadministrator shall receive recommendation for such employment without having proffered visual evidence of proper certification or that application for such certification is in process, except under the following circumstances:

1. The Superintendent may employ noncertificated, nonendorsed teachers to teach, in grades 9-12, a course in computer science, foreign language, mathematics, biology, chemistry, engineering, physics, robotics, or any other course approved by the State Board, providing they meet all of the conditions established by law and by the Superintendent.

2. The Superintendent may also employ a teacher without a valid teaching certificate as a substitute teacher, on a day-to-day basis, if the person has at least ninety (90) semester hours of college credit from a college or university or for a full school year if the person has at least a bachelor's or higher degree from a college or university, and has met all other conditions established by law and by the Superintendent.

3. The Superintendent may hire an individual who does not hold a valid teaching certificate to serve in a counseling, social worker or speech pathologist role provided s/he meets all the requirements established by law. Policy 3120 and Policy 3121 shall apply with respect to that individual in the same manner required for employing a person with a teaching certificate.

Prior to hiring an applicant, the Superintendent shall obtain from the applicant a signed Consent to Obtain Records (Form 3120 F2) and shall obtain from the applicant's current or immediately-previous employer any records, including the applicant's personnel file relating to unprofessional conduct in which the applicant engaged. Any such records are to be reviewed prior to a recommendation for employment and may be disclosed to those individuals directly involved in evaluating the applicant's qualifications.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines for the recruitment and selection of all professional staff.

Pursuant to State law, "Highly Qualified" means:

A. full State certification as a teacher or passed State teacher licensing exam and holds current license to teach; certification or license requirements may not be waived on emergency, temporary, or provisional basis;

B. for elementary teachers new to the profession, this also requires:

1. at least a bachelor’s degree;

2. passing a rigorous State test on subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, math, and other areas of elementary curriculum (State certification test may suffice);

C. for secondary or middle school teachers new to the profession this also requires:

1. at least a bachelor’s degree, and

2. passing a rigorous State test in each of the subject areas s/he will teach (State certification test may suffice), or

3. for each academic subject taught, having an academic major, course work equivalent to an undergraduate major, a graduate degree, or advanced certification or credentialing;

D. for elementary, middle, or secondary school teachers with prior experience, this also requires:

1. at least a bachelor’s degree, and

2. meets standards for new teachers (above), or

3. demonstrates competence in all academic subjects s/he teaches based on a uniform State standard of evaluation (standard for academic subject matter and teaching skills set by the State).

All teachers hired for a Title I supported program or a core subject area must be "highly qualified."

As a condition of employment, all newly-hired teachers in a Title I supported program or in core subject areas shall be required to submit documentation that they are "highly qualified" as described above.

As designated by Federal law, core subject areas shall include the following: English, reading or language arts, science (which includes physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and physical science), mathematics, arts (which includes instrumental music, vocal music, visual arts, dance, and drama/theater), foreign languages, government and civics, history, economics and geography.

The Superintendent shall prepare a plan that will result in all teachers who are employed in professional staff positions with instructional responsibilities in Title I supported programs and/or core subject areas to be highly qualified by a date specific, and the Superintendent shall show annual progress towards meeting these teacher qualification requirements.

M.C.L. 380.1229 – 1231, 380.1233, 380.1237, 380.1531d, 380.623
20 U.S.C. 6319 & 7801
R 390.1105

It is a state requirement that if a student in a Title I school is taught by a teacher who is not highly qualified for more than four consecutive weeks, the parents of the students of the teacher are to be notified in writing of the situation.

The Board of Education recognizes that it is vital to the successful operation of the District that positions created by the Board be filled with qualified and competent support staff.

The Board shall approve the employment, and also, when not covered by the terms of a negotiated, collectively-bargained agreement, fix the compensation, and establish the term of employment for each support staff member employed by this District.

Individuals employed in the following categories shall be considered members of the support staff:

• Teacher Aides

• Bus Drivers/Monitors

• Maintenance/Ground

• Supervisors

• Secretarial/Clerks

All support staff are subject to a criminal history record check. See Policy 4121.

Such approval shall be given only to those candidates for employment recommended by the Superintendent.

Relatives of Board members may be employed by the Board, provided the Board member does not participate in any way in the discussion or vote on the employment when conflict of interest is involved.

Relatives of staff members may be employed by the Board, provided the staff member being employed is not placed in a position in which s/he would be supervised directly by the relative staff member.

Applications for employment will not be accepted from any current District Board member. If a Board member wishes to apply for a position, his/her resignation must be accepted by the Board prior to submitting an application.

Any support staff member's intentional misstatement of fact material to his/her qualifications for employment or the determination of salary shall be considered by this Board to constitute grounds for dismissal.

Staff hired to serve as an athletic trainer must be properly licensed by the State or otherwise legally authorized to engage in the practice of athletic training. Staff is prohibited from engaging in the practice of athletic training unless licensed and shall not offer to provide any service(s) that s/he was not qualified to perform by education, training, or experience or otherwise prohibited by law from performing.

Staff hired to coach an interscholastic team/sport must have first aid and safety training as required by State statute. Certification of this requirement must come from the Red Cross or an equivalent agency.

Prior to hiring an applicant, the Superintendent shall obtain from the applicant a signed Consent to Obtain Records (Form 4120 F2) and shall obtain from the applicant's current or immediately-previous employer any records, including the applicant's personnel file relating to unprofessional conduct in which the applicant engaged.

Any such records are to be reviewed prior to a recommendation for employment and may be disclosed to those individuals directly involved in evaluating the applicant's qualifications.

The employment of support staff members prior to approval by the Board is authorized when their employment is required to maintain continuity in District operations. Employment shall be recommended to the Board at the next regular meeting.

No candidate for employment as a support staff member shall receive recommendation for such employment without having proffered visual evidence of proper certification, when appropriate, or that application for such certification is in process.

The Superintendent shall prepare procedures for the recruitment and selection of all support staff.

All paraprofessionals hired for a Title I supported program must have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent and one of the following:

1. Completed two (2) years study at an institution of higher education; or

2. Obtained at least an associates degree; or

3. Met a rigorous standard of quality and demonstrate through formal State or local academic assessment:

   1. knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics; or

   2. knowledge of and the ability to assist in instructing, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness, as appropriate.

Exceptions – These requirements do not apply to a paraprofessional:

1. who is proficient in English and a second language and serves as a translator primarily to enhance the participation of children in Title I programs; or

2. whose duties consist solely of conducting parental involvement activities.

Paraprofessional duties – Paraprofessionals working for a Title I supported program may be assigned to:

1. provide one-on-one tutoring for eligible students during times when the teacher would not otherwise be instructing the student;

2. provide instructional assistance in a computer laboratory;

3. provide instructional support in a library or media center;

4. provide instructional services to students, if working under the direct supervision of a teacher;

5. perform limited duties beyond classroom instruction or that do not benefit program participants, so long as those duties are also assigned to non-Title I paraprofessionals. Title I paraprofessionals may not be assigned to more of these duties, proportional to their total work time, than the amount assigned to similar non-Title I paraprofessionals in the same school.

M.C.L. 37.2101 et seq., 333.17901, 380.1230  et seq.
20 U.S.C. 6319