An Act To Change the Notification Deadline for the Nonrenewal of a Teacher's Contract

Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §13201, 2nd ¶,  as amended by PL 2011, c. 420, Pt. F, §1 and affected by §2, is further amended to read:

After a probationary period of 3 years, subsequent contracts of duly certified teachers must be for not less than 2 years. Unless a duly certified teacher receives written notice to the contrary at least 6 months before the terminal date of the contract, the contract must be extended automatically for one year and similarly in subsequent years. The superintendent shall notify the teacher in writing of the superintendent's decision not to renew the teacher's contract at least 90 days before the terminal date of the contract. If, after receiving a complaint from a teacher, the commissioner finds that notice of nonrenewal was given less than 90 days before the terminal date of the contract, the school administrative unit shall pay a forfeiture to the teacher equal to the teacher's per diem salary rate times the number of days between the terminal date of the contract and 90 days after the date written notice is given. The right to an extension for a longer period of time through a new contract is specifically reserved to the contracting parties.

summary

This bill changes the deadline for a superintendent to notify a teacher of the superintendent's decision not to renew the teacher's contract from at least 6 months before the terminal date of the contract to at least 90 days before the terminal date of the contract. It also requires the school administrative unit to pay a forfeiture to the teacher if this deadline is not met.