279.15 Notice of termination — request for hearing.
1. The superintendent or the superintendent’s designee shall notify the teacher not later than April 30 that the superintendent will recommend in writing to the board at a regular or special meeting of the board, held not later than May 15, that the teacher’s continuing contract be terminated effective at the end of the current school year. However, if the district is subject to reorganization under chapter 275, the notification shall not occur until after the first organizational meeting of the board of the newly formed district.
2. a. Notification of recommendation of termination of a teacher’s contract shall be in writing and shall be personally delivered to the teacher, or mailed by certified mail. The notification shall be complete when received by the teacher. The notification and the recommendation to terminate shall contain a short and plain statement of the reasons, which shall be for just cause, why the recommendation is being made. The notification shall be given at or before the time the recommendation is given to the board.
b. As a part of the termination proceedings, the teacher’s complete personnel file of employment by that board shall be available to the teacher, which file shall contain a record of all periodic evaluations between the teacher and appropriate supervisors.
c. Within five days of the receipt of the written notice that the superintendent is recommending termination of the contract, the teacher may request, in writing to the secretary of the board, a private hearing with the board. The private hearing shall not be subject to chapter 21 and shall be held no sooner than twenty days and no later than forty days following the receipt of the request unless the parties otherwise agree. The secretary of the board shall notify the teacher in writing of the date, time, and location of the private hearing, and at least ten days before the hearing shall also furnish to the teacher any documentation which may be presented to the board at the private hearing and a list of persons who may address the board in support of the superintendent’s recommendation at the private hearing. At least seven days before the hearing, the teacher shall provide any documentation the teacher expects to present at the private hearing, along with the names of any persons who may address the board on behalf of the teacher. This exchange of information shall be at the time specified unless otherwise agreed.
[R60, §2055; C73, §1757; C97, §2778; SS15, §2778; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4229; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, §279.13; C77, 79, 81, §279.15]
86 Acts, ch 1239, §4; 91 Acts, ch 174, §7; 92 Acts, ch 1227, §18; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180; 2017 Acts, ch 2, §31, 48, 49
Referred to in §260C.39, 262.9, 272.15, 273.22, 275.33, 279.13, 279.16, 279.19, 279.19B, 279.27, 284.8
For provisions relating to applicability of 2017 amendment to employment contracts of school employees under this chapter and collective bargaining agreements and procedures under chapter 20 before, on, or after February 17, 2017, see
2017 Acts, ch 2, §48, 49
Structure Iowa Code
Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
Chapter 279 - DIRECTORS — POWERS AND DUTIES
Section 279.1 - Organization — student improvement oversight.
Section 279.2 - Special meetings.
Section 279.3 - Appointment of secretary and treasurer.
Section 279.5 - Temporary officers.
Section 279.6 - Vacancies — qualification — tenure.
Section 279.7 - Vacancies filled by special election — qualification — tenure.
Section 279.7A - Interest in public contracts prohibited — exceptions.
Section 279.8 - General rules — bonds of employees.
Section 279.8A - Traffic and parking.
Section 279.8B - Petition — school board meeting agenda — public comment.
Section 279.9 - Use of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, or controlled substances.
Section 279.9A - Student transfers — information sharing.
Section 279.9B - Reports to juvenile authorities.
Section 279.10 - School year — beginning date — exemption.
Section 279.11 - Number of schools — attendance — terms — classroom assignment.
Section 279.12 - Contracts — teachers — insurance — educational leave.
Section 279.14 - Evaluation criteria and procedures.
Section 279.14A - Practitioner performance improvement program.
Section 279.15 - Notice of termination — request for hearing.
Section 279.16 - Private hearing — decision — record.
Section 279.17 - Appeal by teacher to adjudicator.
Section 279.18 - Appeal by teacher to court.
Section 279.19 - Probationary period.
Section 279.19A - Extracurricular contracts.
Section 279.19B - Coaching endorsement and authorization.
Section 279.20 - Superintendent — term — employment of support personnel.
Section 279.22 - Residence of employees.
Section 279.23 - Continuing contract for administrators.
Section 279.23A - Evaluation criteria and procedures.
Section 279.24 - Contract with administrators — automatic continuation or termination.
Section 279.25 - Discharge of administrator.
Section 279.26 - Lease arrangements.
Section 279.27 - Discharge of teacher.
Section 279.28 - Insurance — supplies — textbooks.
Section 279.29 - Claims — investments.
Section 279.30 - Payments — exceptions.
Section 279.31 - Settlement with treasurer.
Section 279.32 - Compensation of officers.
Section 279.33 - Annual settlements.
Section 279.34 - Motor vehicles required to operate on ethanol blended gasoline.
Section 279.35 - Publication of proceedings.
Section 279.36 - Publication procedures and fee.
Section 279.37 - Employment of counsel.
Section 279.38 - Membership in association of school boards — audit.
Section 279.38A - Membership in other organizations— reporting requirements.
Section 279.39 - School buildings.
Section 279.41 - Schoolhouses and sites sold — funds.
Section 279.42 - Gifts to schools.
Section 279.43 - Reporting inappropriate teaching assignments.
Section 279.44 - Energy audits.
Section 279.45 - Administrative expenditures.
Section 279.46 - Retirement incentives — tax.
Section 279.47 - Telecommunications — participation by school districts in database development.
Section 279.48 - Equipment purchase.
Section 279.49 - Child care programs.
Section 279.50 - Human growth and development instruction.
Section 279.50A - Educational standards — agreements for mathematics and science units.
Section 279.51 - Programs for at-risk children.
Section 279.51A - Classroom environment — behavioral challenges — reports of violence or assault.
Section 279.52 - Optional funding of asbestos projects.
Section 279.53 - Loan proceeds.
Section 279.54 - School district income surtax.
Section 279.55 - Teacher exchange program.
Section 279.56 - Board participation.
Section 279.57 - Period of exchange.
Section 279.58 - School dress code policies.
Section 279.59 - Access by associations.
Section 279.60 - Assessments — access to data — reports.
Section 279.61 - Individual career and academic plan — report.
Section 279.62 - Nonprofit school organizations.
Section 279.63 - Financial report.
Section 279.64 - Tax-sharing agreements.
Section 279.66 - Discipline and personal conduct standards.
Section 279.67 - Competitive living wage.
Section 279.68 - Student progression — intensive reading instruction — reporting requirements.
Section 279.69 - School employees — background investigations.
Section 279.71 - Student online personal information protection.
Section 279.72 - Training on dyslexia.
Section 279.73 - Intellectual freedom — protection — complaints.
Section 279.74 - Training and curriculum prohibited — specific defined concepts.