Opinion ID: 4225825
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Indiana’s Teacher Tenure Law

Text: Indiana enacted its teacher tenure law as the Act of March 8, 1927, Laws of the State of Indiana 259–62 (1927) (“the Act”). The Act established how and when a teacher earns tenure, the “principal purpose” of which is “to secure permanency in the teaching force.” Watson v. Burnett, 23 N.E.2d 420, 423 (Ind. 1939). Permanency was intended to promote “the public good through the creation of a competent cadre of teachers in the state.” Stewart v. Fort Wayne Community Schools, 564 N.E.2d 274, 278 (Ind. 1990). With the enactment, Indiana joined a national trend in the early twentieth century of offering job security to attract better teachers. Unlike tenure statutes in many other States, Indiana’s law has been treated as forming “an employment by contract between the teacher and the school corporation.” School City of Elwood v. State ex rel. Griffin, 180 N.E. 471, 474 (Ind. 1932); see also Anderson, 303 U.S. at 107 (distinguishing Indiana law from other States’ laws). A teacher who had “serve[d] under contract as a teacher in any school corporation in the State of Indiana for five or more successive years” achieved tenure upon entering a sixth successive one-year contract. Ind. Code § 26-6967.1 (1927). 1 Once tenured, teachers have an “indefinite contract” that entitles them to employment contracts each year unless the employer has good cause to fire them. Id.; Lost Creek School Township v. York, 21 N.E.2d 58, 64 (Ind. 1939). The annual employment contracts can adjust variable terms like salary, hours, and the length of the school year, but they must 1 The original Act referred to “permanent” teachers, but we use the more common term “tenured.” 4 No. 16-4168 always comply with the Act. Lost Creek, 21 N.E.2d at 64. In case of a conflict, the indefinite contract terms set by statute supersede the annual employment contract. School City of Lafayette v. Highley, 12 N.E.2d 927, 930 (Ind. 1938) (parties cannot circumvent Act by relying on written contract). The core terms of the Act limit the reasons and procedures for firing or laying off tenured teachers. To cancel a tenured teacher’s contract, a school must provide written notice and, upon demand, a comprehensive hearing before the school board. Ind. Code § 20-28-7.5-2; Ind. Code § 26-6967.2 (1927). Schools can fire tenured teachers only for incompetence, insubordination, neglect of duty, immorality, a justifiable decrease in the number of teaching positions, or other good cause. Ind. Code § 20-28-7.5-1; Ind. Code § 6967.2 (1927). Recognizing a possible loophole, Indiana courts have long held under the Act that if a school district must reduce the number of its teachers, the district must retain qualified tenured teachers over non-tenured teachers. Watson, 23 N.E.2d at 423.