Shelby County Board of Education
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4201


APPLICATION AND EMPLOYMENT



Application
The superintendent is responsible for the establishment and implementation of procedures for the recruitment, the evaluation, and the selection of applicants. An individual desiring a position with Shelby County Schools shall make application to the superintendent on approved forms.

In a continuing effort to further ensure the safety and welfare of students and staff, the district shall require criminal history records checks and fingerprinting of all applicants for teaching and non-teaching positions upon an offer of employment. The applicant shall pay any cost incurred by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation in conducting the background investigation, the first time the applicant applies for and accepts employment. The Board shall reimburse applicants if the applicant accepts a position offered by the system and the background check is satisfactory. Substitute teachers and substitute non-teaching employees shall not be reimbursed.

The Board assigns to the superintendent the duty to conduct thorough background checks and to advise all applicants that all hiring decisions and reimbursements for the background checks are contingent upon satisfactory background check results.

Knowingly falsifying information shall be sufficient grounds for termination of employment and shall also constitute a Class A misdemeanor, which must be reported to the District Attorney General for prosecution.1

Professional Employees
The applicant must include a transcript of credits earned at the college or universities attended and references from persons such as previous employers, college professors and supervisors of student teachers. Other information shall include whether such applicant has been dismissed for cause from a school system. If previously employed by a local board of education, the applicant shall provide evidence of acceptable resignation.


Employment
It is the policy of Shelby County Schools to employ the strongest candidates available. All persons who meet minimum job qualifications as established by Shelby County Schools are entitled to equal employment opportunities. Shelby County Schools will not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of age, gender, creed, race, national origin or disability in compliance with state/federal law.

No person shall be employed as a teacher or in a non-teaching position who does not comply with provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated regarding employment by a school district.

The superintendent shall hire and assign qualified applicants. Upon initial employment in a professional position, the superintendent shall notify such person, in writing, of the offer and conditions of employment. Upon written notification, the person shall have fourteen (14) days to accept or reject, in writing, the offer of employment. From the date of the written acceptance, such person is considered to be employed and is subject to all rights, privileges and duties. Each support employee shall be advised of the required probationary period.


Legal Reference:
1 T.C.A. §49-5-406
T.C.A. §49-5-406(a); T.C.A. §49-5-413(b)
T.C.A. §49-5-403; T.C.A. §49-5-101
T.C.A. §49-5-404; TRR/MS 0520-1-3-.08(2)(f)
T.C.A. §49-5-202; Ambach v. Norwick, 441 U.S. 68 (1979)
T.C.A. §49-5-405
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
T.C.A. §49-2-301 (f)(31)
T.C.A. §49-2-301(f)(12)(31): T.C.A. §49-2-303 (a)(3)



Adopted 02/24/77
Revised 10/29/81
Revised 02/25/93
Revised 04/30/98 (Effective Date: 09/01/98)
Revised 12/02/99