As Defined in Policy:

It is understood that any teacher is subject to transfer at the discretion of the Superintendent. Each teacher is duly notified of this and agrees to this when the yearly employment contract is signed.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. TRANSFER: The reassignment by the Superintendent of a teacher from one Shelby County school to another

   1. VOLUNTARY TRANSFER: Transfer of a teacher at the written request of the teacher

   2. INVOLUNTARY TRANSFER: Transfer of a teacher without the request and/or consent of the teacher other than through Reduction in Force
      
      

2. REDUCTION IN FORCE: A transfer necessitated by reduction of student enrollment at a school

3. SYSTEM-WIDE SENIORITY: The total period of continuous service in a full-time, contractual position

4. SENIORITY DATE: A teacher's most recent employment date in a full-time, contractual position

5. ITINERANT TEACHER: Any teacher who travels to two or more schools as a part of his/her regular assignment

6. REASSIGNMENT WITHIN A SCHOOL: Change of a teacher's grade level and/or subject area assignment within the teacher's current school

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

1. Tenure

2. Three continuous years of assignment to current school

Vacancy Updates: All permanent teaching positions which become vacant after the initial posting notice and through the close of the first five (5) days that students are in attendance shall be posted biweekly at Central Office, at every high school, and at the Shelby County Schools website (www.scsk12.org).  This posting shall be for informational purposes only. Transfer applications cannot be submitted or revised after the due date stated on the initial posting.


TRANSFER PROCEDURE:

Application Process: Teachers desiring a voluntary transfer must file a transfer application with the Human Resource Department.  All applications shall be due in the Human Resource Department  by 4:00 PM on the last work day of the school year for teachers.  Teachers shall designate on the transfer application up to five (5) specific schools and grades and/or subject areas for which they want to be considered.

Any revisions to a transfer application must be made prior to the due date stated above and only by written request of the teacher.  Withdrawal of a transfer request can be made at any time upon written request of the teacher.

Placement Process: Voluntary transfer placement will begin after required reductions in force have been determined and those teachers affected have been reassigned or transferred.

The Human Resource Department shall be responsible for developing and maintaining a list of all transfer requests.  This list shall be used in filling permanent teaching positions which become available through the close of the first five (5) days that students are in attendance. The principal of the school has the right to interview any transfer applicant prior to that teacher’s assignment to the school.  All interviews shall be scheduled by the Human Resource Department. Only teachers requesting transfer into the available grade and/or subject area shall be contacted for interviews. Approval by the receiving principal is required before a transfer can be confirmed. Transfer of a less senior teacher shall not be approved unless all transfer applicants with greater system-wide seniority have been interviewed. No new applicant or interim teacher may be interviewed prior to the interview of any transfer applicant.

The Human Resource Department shall notify each teacher interviewed of the principal’s decision. 

If a principal does not approve the transfer of a teacher, the teacher’s transfer application shall remain active.  If the teacher refuses an interview for a requested position or an offered transfer to a requested position, that teacher’s transfer application shall be withdrawn. However, if a teacher refuses an interview or an offered position because the position is substantially different from the position posted, the teacher’s application shall not be withdrawn, and the teacher’s application shall remain active. It is the teacher’s responsibility to appeal to the Coordinator of the Human Resource Department in writing within two (2) days of the interview or of the position offer if he/she feels that the change was substantially different from the posted position. The Coordinator of the Human Resource Department shall evaluate such appeals and shall render decisions on the same.

All procedures, eligibility requirements, and recommended transfers are subject to the approval of the Superintendent.

NOTE:  It is the teacher’s responsibility to inform the Human Resource Department of any changes in address or phone number.  As much as possible, allowances will be made for teachers’ schedules.  However, the Human Resource Department retains the right to schedule interviews in a timely manner as required for the efficient operation of the school system.

 After all possible voluntary transfers have been made, reductions in force shall be made according to the following guidelines:

1. compliance with all federal directives, court orders, EEOC requirements, and Title IX guidelines,

2. professional qualifications and licensure, and

3. system-wide seniority.

If all other considerations are equal, teachers with the least system-wide seniority shall be transferred first.

A teacher transferred through a reduction in force shall be given two (2) days’ notice in order to prepare for the new assignment.

Any teacher transferred involuntarily through a reduction in force shall be eligible to apply for transfer back to the previously assigned school regardless of tenure status during the next regular voluntary transfer period following notice of the transfer.   For that period only, such teachers shall have priority in return to the previous school over any other voluntary transfer requests. Any tenured teacher affected by reduction in force retains the right to apply for voluntary transfer to any school in the system under the regular transfer procedures and is not required to serve three (3) years at the newly assigned school.

The principal has the right to make reassignments in grade and/or subject area as required by enrollment, curriculum, or program needs or changes.   All changes in assignment shall be based on program and student needs and shall be made in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner. The approval of the Superintendent shall be required if the change results in an employment standard waiver being required for the reassigned teacher. 

As much as practicable, teachers shall be notified by the principal in a personal conference of any change in assignment prior to the close of the school year. However, it is recognized that teacher reassignment will occasionally be required throughout the school year as a result of shifts in student enrollment and continuing staff, program, and curriculum changes. If the necessity for a change in assignment arises during a period when school is not in session, the principal shall mail a notice scheduling a conference to the teacher at the last given address.  If the notice is not answered within five (5) working days, the reassignment may be confirmed without a conference.

Proposed Procedures:

Positions which become vacant after the close of the season will be posted by the Human Resource Department for transfer.

All applications will be submitted to the Human Resource Department.

Interviews will be scheduled through the Human Resource Department.

All current teachers applying for transfer who meet certification and/or endorsement requirements will be interviewed prior to interviewing applicants new to the school system.

If the position is filled prior to the close of the school year by a teacher from another school, that teacher will be required to complete the school year at the previously assigned school and to fulfill all teaching and coaching responsibilities at the previously assigned school.

If a position becomes vacant during the season, the position may be filled by a teacher at the school or by a teacher new to the system for the remainder of the season only.  At the close of the season, the position will be posted for transfer.

All high schools will continue to abide by TSSAA regulations requiring posting of coaching positions prior to the assignment of a non-faculty coach.

Geographic areas are subject to change as the high school attendance zones change. A current geographic attendance area will be included with transfer applications for use in selection of areas for itinerant position transfer applications.