Citation Numbers: 70 Op. Att'y Gen. 6
Judges: BRONSON C. La FOLLETTE, Attorney General
Filed Date: 1/29/1981
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 7/6/2016
FRED A. RISSER, President State Senate
On behalf of the Senate Committee on Organization you have asked several questions relating to seniority of teachers in school districts in Milwaukee County, but outside the City of Milwaukee. Central to your inquiry is the application of sec.
1. Does the term "teacher" as defined in Section
118.23 (1), Wis. Stats., include the following classifications of employees: A. Principals? B. Assistant Principals? C. Directors of elementary or secondary instruction? D. Directors of Curriculum?
Section
(1) Possession of a teacher certificate or license and whose legal employment requires such certificate or license;
(2) Is employed full time; *Page 7
(3) Meets the minimum requirements prescribed by the governing body employing such person;
(4) Is employed by a school board, board of trustees or governing body of any school lying entirely and exclusively in a county having a population of 500,000 or more, which now means only Milwaukee County.
The analysis herein is based on the assumption that each of the classifications of employes in question satisfies requirements two, three, and four above. The controlling consideration, therefore, is whether the legal employment of such persons depends on their possessing a teacher's certificate or license. It is my opinion that since persons employed as principals, assistant principals, directors of elementary or secondary instruction and directors of curriculum are not required to possess a teacher's certificate or license they do not come within the definition of teacher under sec.
Before July 1, 1980, all school administrators (e.g, principals or assistant principals) were required by administrative rule (PI 3.07 (10)) to possess a valid teacher's license in order to be licensed as a school administrator. Now, they are required only to be eligible to hold a Wisconsin license to teach in either elementary or secondary schools, depending on the type of administrator license sought (PI 3.07 (11)). Although actual teaching experience is required, it need not be secured in Wisconsin. (See PI 3.07 (11)(c)1.b. and (d)1.b.)
Licensing for the classifications "directors of elementary or secondary instruction" and "directors of curriculum" is governed by PI 3.07 (14). To be licensed, an applicant must either be eligible to hold a license to teach at the level of supervision involved or have completed an approved teacher education program. Also, such applicant must, among other requirements, have a minimum of three years teaching experience at the level of supervision involved.
In view of these administrative rules, it is clear that persons employed as principals, assistant principals, directors of elementary or secondary instruction or directors of curriculum are not legally required to possess a teacher's certificate or license. This is not to say, however, that a person's employment in one of these job classifications cannot be conditioned on the possession of a teacher's certificate *Page 8 or license. Unquestionably, the governing body employing such person may impose such condition as a minimum requirement for employment. Such a condition does not affect a person's "legal employment," however. A person is legally employed in any of the classifications in question provided that person meets the statutory and administrative rule requirements for such employment.
2. Are the following classifications of Administrators covered by the provisions of Section
118.23 (4), Wis. Stats.: A. Principals? B. Assistant Principals? C. Directors of Elementary or Secondary Instruction? D. Directors of Curriculum?
Subsection (4) sets forth procedures to be followed in the event it becomes necessary to decrease the number of permanently employed teachers by reason of declining student enrollment within the school district. Permanent employment is secured by satisfying the tenure provisions set forth at subsec. (2). Subsection (2) makes clear that tenure as a teacher is not affected by reason of employment as a principal.
Thus, although principals may also qualify as tenured teachers under sec.
Under subsec. (4) permanently employed teachers may be laid off in the inverse order of appointment and if vacancies occur thereafter such teachers shall be reinstated in inverse order of their being laid off, if qualified to fill the vacancies.
There is nothing in subsec. (4) or in the legislative history of sec.
In your next question you ask that I assume a school district wishes to properly prepare a lay off list applicable to persons who are certified or licensed and who are permanently employed in the above listed classifications covered by sec.
3. Does the phrase "order of appointment" as it is used in Wisconsin Statute Section
118.23 (4) mean: (a) the date that an individual was first appointed to the teaching staff of the school district; or (b) the date that a person was first appointed to any [of the above listed] position [s] . . . . [You limit this question to persons who were previously members of the teaching staff in the district.]
The phrase "order of appointment" is broad enough to include both situations you describe. As already indicated, a classroom teacher is permanently employed if he or she has acquired tenure. Section
When subsec. (2) and subsec. (4) are read together it is necessary, for internal consistency and to give effect to tenure for principals, to treat teachers and principals separately in effecting layoffs. Thus, if it becomes necessary to lay off permanently employed principals they would be subject to layoff in the inverse order of appointment as principals. Thus, the least senior principal in the school system would be laid off first. If such person also had acquired tenure as a classroom teacher, he or she would then be included in the teacher population subject to layoff in the inverse order of appointment as a teacher. If a person had not acquired tenure as a classroom teacher prior to appointment as a principal, then that person would not be entitled to the protections afforded tenured teachers. This would occur, for example, if an individual were appointed principal directly from a different school system or had been in the school system for less than the requisite number of years to gain tenure as a classroom teacher in that system.
A more difficult problem arises in determining whether a tenured teacher who has been appointed principal should be credited with both the years served as a classroom teacher and as a principal for purposes of "seniority."
As indicated, tenured principals who are subject to layoff have additional rights for purposes of layoff even if they also had acquired tenure as teachers prior to their appointment as principal. When placed back into the teacher pool for purposes of determining order of layoff it would be the date of their appointment as a classroom teacher that is controlling. Even though an individual was no longer an active classroom teacher after assuming responsibilities as a principal, that person nevertheless retained tenure as a teacher for purposes of layoff under the statute. Appointment to the position of principal is generally considered to be a promotion for a teacher. Accordingly, the evident legislative intent is to ensure that a person so appointed is not penalized in terms of order of dismissal for accepting such a position. Sec.
It follows that supervisory positions other than principals, such as directors of elementary or secondary instruction and directors of curriculum, are not subject to the layoff and recall provisions applicable to teachers. If, however, such persons had acquired tenure as a teacher prior to assuming the additional responsibilities as a director, and the governing body employing such person requires that such person maintain teacher status, such persons arguably enjoy the same rights as all others who have acquired tenure as a teacher. They do not, however, have additional tenure in the staff position of a director.
4. If a school district wishes to lay off one or more permanently employed principals, pursuant to Section
118.23 (4), . . . how much seniority credit may the district give to an individual who, when they were first appointed as principal, held a full-time position that consisted of a part-time principal position and a part-time teaching position?
The analysis regarding question three above makes clear that the controlling consideration is the date of appointment whether it be as a classroom teacher or as a principal. The date that a person was first appointed a principal within the district would determine the amount of seniority for purposes of effecting layoffs within the general classification of principal. The fact an appointed principal is given teaching responsibilities does not alter the character of the appointment as one to a supervisory position. As long as the individual is a full-time employe and otherwise satisfies the tenure requirements for principals, that individual is entitled to full seniority from the date of appointment as principal.
5. Does the answer to question number 4 change if the employee is in a part-time position in either the item C [Directors of Elementary or Secondary Instruction] or D [Directors of Curriculum] classification listed in question number 2?
As already suggested, teacher tenure laws are to be strictly construed. Farley,
6. If the answer to any of the subsections in question number 2 are yes, does the employee have the right to bump into a "promotion" or higher administrative position covered by Section
118.23 if that employee is certified for the position and has more experience as an administrator in the district and the district is contemplating decreasing its administrative staff?
The ability of an employe to "bump" into another position is not specifically covered in sec.
Since teacher tenure laws must be strictly construed, sec.
For example, the least senior principal, even though holding a highly responsible position, would be subject to layoff first even though that position could then be filled with a more senior principal qualified for the position whether or not such action would under normal circumstances be considered a promotion. This is possible because principals as a class, unlike other administrators, are guaranteed tenure rights.
7. May a principal who is laid off pursuant to Wisconsin Statute Section118.23 (4), demand that he [or she] be allowed to "bump" a permanently employed teacher who has had less full time service (including both administrative time and teaching time) within the district than the principal, provided the principal is certified for the position held by that teacher?
Under the analysis regarding question number six a laid off principal, who also has tenure as a teacher, and has the requisite qualifications, could in effect bump into a teacher position provided there are less senior teachers available for layoff. Obviously, the reverse is not possible since a tenured teacher would have no seniority rights in principal positions.
8. May persons (teachers or administrators) who have been laid off pursuant to Wisconsin Statute Section118.23 (4), who could have "bumped" into other jobs within the school district (prior to layoff) had they been certified for those positions, secure such certification while on layoff and upon being so certified "bump" into other jobs held by persons within the school district who have less seniority than they?
The controlling consideration is the status of the employe at the time of the layoff and subsequently at the time of reinstatement. Each event is independent of the other. If a senior teacher is not qualified to fill a position retained by the employer, a less senior qualified teacher has a right to that position at the time layoffs are effected. The subsequent acquisition of requisite qualifications cannot affect the earlier layoff decision. To conclude otherwise would give some persons rights to employment clearly not specified in sec.
On reinstatement, the most senior qualified individual must be offered the position first. There is nothing in sec.
9. Would it be correct to conclude that the provisions of Section118.23 override any contrary provisions, in regard to "bumping" into a bargaining unit, found in a collective bargaining agreement between teachers and a school district?
Unquestionably a layoff-reinstatement proposal is a mandatory subject of bargaining under the Municipal Employment Relations Act, sec.
The tenure provisions in sec.
BCL:JDN *Page 15
WERC v. Teamsters Local No. 563 , 75 Wis. 2d 602 ( 1977 )
Beloit Education Ass'n v. Employment Relations Commission , 73 Wis. 2d 43 ( 1976 )
Board of Education v. Wisconsin Employment Relations ... , 52 Wis. 2d 625 ( 1971 )
Dobbs v. Joint School District No. 3 , 92 Wis. 2d 476 ( 1979 )
State Ex Rel. Farley v. Board of School Directors , 49 Wis. 2d 765 ( 1971 )
Faust v. Ladysmith-Hawkins School Systems , 88 Wis. 2d 525 ( 1979 )