Opinion ID: 31914
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Statutory Procedure for Termination of School Board Employees' Term Contracts

Text: 2 Under the Texas Education Code, a school board has the power to terminate a term contract and discharge a teacher at any time for good cause as determined by the board. 3 Prior to terminating a term contract, however, the board must give the teacher notice of its proposed action. 4 If the teacher desires a pre-termination hearing under state law, he must file a written request with the state commissioner of education (Commissioner) within 15 days of receiving notice of his proposed termination. 5 Within 10 business days of receiving a timely request for a hearing, the Commissioner must assign a hearing examiner to conduct a hearing in that particular case. 6 Not later than 45 days after the Commissioner receives a request for a hearing, the hearing examiner shall complete the hearing and recommend findings of fact, conclusions of law, and, if appropriate, the granting of relief. 7 The school board, not the Commissioner, is taxed with the costs of the hearing examiner, the shorthand reporter, and the production of a hearing transcript. 8 3 After receiving the examiner's recommendation and the record of the hearing, the school board or its designated subcommittee must consider them and allow each party to present an oral argument to the board or subcommittee. 9 Within 10 days of that meeting, the board must announce a decision that includes findings of fact and conclusions of law and that may include a grant of relief. 10 The board may adopt, reject, or change the hearing examiner's conclusions of law or proposal for granting relief, and it may reject or change the hearing examiner's finding of facts not supported by substantial evidence in the record. 11 4 Section 7.057(d) of the Texas Education Code provides that [a] person aggrieved by an action of the agency or decision of the Commissioner may appeal to a district court in Travis County. 12 This appeal must be made by serving the Commissioner as in a civil suit, and the court shall determine all issues of law and fact at trial. 13