Seniority

Under the Students Come First plan, the state has eliminated seniority as a criterion for Reduction in Force (RIF). We can no longer allow longevity to determine teacher quality. Instead, in the event of a RIF, local school boards should decide how to execute a RIF based on teachers’ skills and abilities, not years of experience. No reliable research supports the use of seniority as a criterion for RIF; in fact, research shows seniority has no correlation with effectiveness in the classroom.

A myth has circulated that districts will replace more experienced teachers with less experienced teachers because they earn less money. This is not true, because this is not the way the funding formula works. The local district receives no financial benefit by hiring a new teacher in lieu of a more experienced educator. Under the funding formula, districts receive reimbursement from the state based on a teacher’s education and years of experience. If a district hires a more experienced teacher, the district receives a larger reimbursement for that teacher’s salary. If a district hires a newer teacher, the district receives a smaller reimbursement based on the funding formula. Therefore, the district receives no financial incentive for hiring a less experienced teacher. This will not change under the Students Come First plan. A teacher’s salary will continue to be based on education and experience.