H924 - Teacher Contract Changes. (SL 2019-82)

Overview: S.L. 2019-82 makes clarifications in regard to teacher contracts and creates new course requirements for graduation.

Section 1: Teacher Contracts

Section 1 of S.L. 2019-82 clarifies how much time a teacher must have already worked for a local board of education in order to be eligible for an extended employment contract, including defining a year of employment as no less than 120 workdays as a teacher in a full-time permanent position and authorizing local boards of education to require consecutive years of employment before offering longer contracts, subject to certain limitations.

Section 1 of this act became effective July 8, 2019, and applies to contracts executed on or after that date.

Sections 2-6: Economic and Personal Finance Graduation Requirement

Sections 2-6 of S.L. 2019-82 require a new course in economics and personal finance (EPF) as a graduation requirement for students, as well as professional development for teachers of that course. It also clarifies requirements for the existing high school civics course, and directs the State Board of Education to revise the standards for the social studies standard course of study.

Sections 2-6 of the act became effective June 28, 2019. The completion of the EPF course for graduation applies beginning with students entering the ninth grade in the 2020-2021 school year and changes to the high school civics course apply beginning with students entering ninth grade in the 2021-2022 school year.