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DP313 – Provisional and Probationary Licensed Personnel

  • Effective: 7/21/1972
  • Revision: 6/10/2014
  • Reviewed: 5/28/2013

  1. Board Directive
    The Board recognizes that Jordan School District benefits from hiring licensed employees on a provisional basis until they have proven themselves through satisfactory service for a designated period of time.  The Board delegates to the Administration the responsibility for implementing policy for provisional and probationary licensed personnel and overseeing the probationary period.
  2. Administrative Policy
    Provisional employees are to be assigned in their major or minor fields and in areas where they have proper certification.  Provisional employees may be given contract status upon recommendation of the Superintendent or designee when all of the provisional status requirements are met.  An employee whose performance is substandard may be placed on probation in accordance with established policy.
    Provisional and probationary status shall be administered according to the following administrative policy provisions:

    1. Provisional Status
      1. Licensed employees who begin service with the District after July 1, 1999, with no previous experience shall be considered provisional employees for a period of three (3) years.
      2. Provisional employees will be recommended for regular contract status after they have successfully completed their provisional status, provided they meet the criteria outlined in DP311—Evaluation for Licensed Personnel.
      3. Newly employed teachers with three (3) or more years of satisfactory experience in another district will be required to serve one (1) year as a provisional teacher provided they are hired within three (3) years of their previous teaching experience and successfully meet the criteria outlined in DP311—Evaluation for Licensed Personnel.
      4. Continued employment during provisional status shall be contingent upon successful performance.
      5. A mentor shall be assigned to assist the provisional educator to become informed about the teaching profession and school system.  The mentor shall be assigned at the beginning of the contract year.
      6. The status of a Licensed Provisional Employee may be extended for up to five (5) years in unusual or exceptional circumstances, upon the written request of the principal to the respective Administrator of Schools for approval.  A copy of this request shall be forwarded to the Administrator of Human Resources following a decision by the Administrator of Schools.
    2. Provisional Service
      1. Full or half-time provisional employees who work fifty (50) percent or more of the required contract days in a year shall receive one (1) year of provisional service credit.
      2. The required years of provisional employment must be served consecutively.  Provisional educators whose total score is in the "Met Standard" range on the Jordan Performance Appraisal System (JPAS) for six evaluations (two per year for three years) are eligible for contract status.
      3. Employees taking approved leave prior to completion of provisional status will receive credit for the provisional time served prior to the time the leave is granted.
      4. Former employee(s) and retirees who have been rehired following an absence of three (3) years or less must serve one (1) year as successful provisional employee(s) before regaining contract status.
      5. Former employees who have been rehired following an absence of more than three (3) years must serve two (2) years as successful provisional employees before regaining career educator status.
    3. Information found online
      1. Provisional employees shall have access to information which includes:
        1. A statement of the objectives, aims and philosophy of education of the school system.
        2. A statement of the procedures and personnel policies of the Administration.
        3. A statement of the criteria for evaluating employees.
        4. A statement indicating the sources of supervisory help.
        5. Copies of guides and curriculum manuals which will aid the employee in implementing his/her assignment.
    4. Evaluation
      1. Systematic written evaluations shall be prepared on each provisional employee by January 15 and by April 1.
      2. The written evaluation is to be discussed and signed by both the employee and the immediate supervisor.
    5. Probation
      1. Career educators may be placed on probation at any time by the immediate supervisor with approval from the respective Administrator of Schools and the Administrator of Human Resources.
      2. A conference with the employee must be held to explain the reason(s) for probation.  Following the conference, a written notice of the action must be submitted to the Administrator of Human Resources, a copy provided for the employee, and a copy placed in his/her file in the Human Resources Department.
      3. When an employee is taken off probation as a result of improved performance, written notification will be provided to the employee and a copy placed in his/her personnel file.
      4. When performance does not meet the required objectives within the established time limits, the employee may be terminated in accordance with Policy DP316—Orderly Termination Procedure.