Section:4000 Personnel
Policy Name:Personnel Recruiting and Hiring
Policy Number:4000
Date Approved:10/10/1989
Last Revised:2/13/2017


Personnel-Recruiting and Hiring

The Superintendent of Schools and/or his/her designees, as agents of the Board of Education, shall determine the personnel needs of the school district. At least annually, the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee shall estimate the cost of recruitment and selection of individuals to fill the personnel needs of the school district and shall present such estimate to the Board of Education on a timely basis for inclusion in the Board's annual budget.

The Superintendent of Schools and/or his/her designees shall promptly and competently perform recruitment, selection and hiring functions to satisfy the personnel needs of the school system (see Board policies 4000(a)-(c) below). These practices shall be in accordance with established procedures that are consistent with the Board's Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodations policies (Board policies 4010, 4020, and 4030, respectively), and comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Employment shall be conditioned on satisfactory criminal history and reference checks and other pre-employment screening required by law or deemed necessary by the school system for the particular job.

A committee directed by the Superintendent, as an agent of the Board of Education, shall be responsible for recruiting and screening candidates for positions of administrators and supervisors, which include but are not limited to the jobs of director, principal, assistant principal and instructional leaders. Members of such committee shall be selected by the Superintendent. Committee members shall include the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee, and may include the building principal, director of instruction, teachers, and other administrators, board of education representatives and community members.

The committee shall conduct a rigorous examination of potential candidates from inside and outside the school system. Committee members may visit candidates from other school systems in their home district. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall nominate to the Board of Education a candidate for employment, selected from those recommended by the committee. The Board shall approve or reject the nomination of the Superintendent.

After a candidate accepts employment, the Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall perform duties to complete the hiring process.

The Superintendent or his/her designee(s), as agent(s) of the Board of Education, shall perform the recruiting, selection and hiring functions for certified personnel other than administrators and supervisors, including but not limited to regular and special classroom teachers. Such appointments shall be reported to the Board at the regular Board meeting following the appointment.

At a minimum, all candidates selected for certified positions must meet all statutory and regulatory certification requirements as required by the Connecticut General Statutes and the State Board of Education's Rules and Regulations Concerning State Teachers Certificates. Consideration also shall be given to an applicant's professional training, teaching experience, skills and other desirable qualifications in good teachers.

In order to be employed, a candidate must meet all requirements mandated by law or established by the school system. Candidates shall be required to appear for a personal interview, except in extenuating circumstances.

The Superintendent or his/her designee(s), as agent(s) of the Board of Education, shall perform the recruiting, selection and hiring functions for non-certified personnel. Non certified personnel positions include but are not limited to office support staff, paraprofessionals, nurses, custodians and maintenance workers. Such appointments shall be reported to the Board at the regular Board meeting following the appointment.

Hiring of Retired Teachers:

A retired teacher receiving benefits from the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) may be reemployed by the Board for up to one full school year in a position (1) designated by the Commissioner of Education as a subject shortage area, or (2) at a school located in a priority school district for the school year in which the teacher is being employed. Such employment may be for up to one full school year. Such reemployment may be extended for an additional school year, provided the Board (a) submits a written request for approval to the Teachers' Retirement Board, (b) certifies that no qualified candidates are available prior to the reemployment of such teacher and (c) indicates the type of assignment to be performed, the anticipated date of rehire and the expected duration of the assignment.

The salary of such teacher shall be fixed at an amount at least equal to that paid other teachers in the District with similar training and experience for the same type of service. Upon Board approval of such employment, the retired teacher shall be eligible for the same health insurance benefits provided to active teachers employed by the District. No retirement benefits shall be paid during this period of reemployment.

Except as indicated below, and in the first paragraph in this section, a certified educator receiving retirement benefits from the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) may not be employed in a certified position receiving compensation paid out of public money appropriated for school purposes except that such educator may be employed in such a position and receive no more than forty-five percent of the maximum salary level for the assigned position. Any certified educator who receives in excess of such amount shall reimburse the Board for the amount of such excess.

Commencing July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018, the exemption from the limitation on the compensation of a reemployed certified educator apply to an educator who (A) is receiving retirement benefits from TRS based on thirty-four or more years of credited service, (B) is reemployed in a district designated as an alliance district (pursuant to C.G.S. 10-262u), and (C) was serving in the district on July 1, 2015.

On and after July 1, 2016, a certified educator receiving retirement benefits from the system may be employed and receive compensation, health insurance benefits, and other employment benefits provided to active teachers employed by such school system provided such teacher does not receive a retirement income during such employment. Payment of such teacher's retirement income shall resume on the first day of the month following the termination of such employment.

In order to be employed, a candidate must meet all requirements mandated by law or established by the school system (See PCS Policy and Regulation 4000-Personnel)

Legal References:

C.G.S. § 10-220 (Duties of Board)

C.G.S. §§ 10-144o through 10-149

(Certification Requirements) C.G.S. § 10-151 (Employment of Teachers)

C.G.S. § 10-222c (Hiring Policy)

Conn. P.A. 02-136 (Criminal record inquiries)

C.G.S. § 10-221d (Criminal history records checks)

C.G.S. § 46a-80(b)(1)-(3)(Criminal convictions)

10-151 Employment of teachers. Notice and hearing on termination of contract. (as amended by P.A. 12-16 An Act Concerning Educational Reform)

10-153 Discrimination on account of marital status.

10-183v Reemployment of teachers, as amended by PA 10-111, An Act Concerning Education Reform in Connecticut and P.A. 16-91, An Act Making Changes to the Teacher's Retirement System

10-220 Duties of Boards of Education. (as amended by PA 98-252)

46a-60 Discriminatory employment practices prohibited.

20 U.S.C. Section 1119 N Child Left Behind Act

34 C.F.R. 200.55 Federal Regulations

P.L. 114-95 Every Student Succeeds Act, S.1177-55, 56