Dismissal for Poor Performance: Oregon

Analysis of Oregon's policies

In Oregon, tenured teachers who are terminated have multiple opportunities to appeal. After receiving written notice of dismissal, the teacher may file an appeal—within 10 days—with the Fair Dismissal Appeals Board or with an arbitrator, which has 140 days to prepare its decision. The teacher may then file an additional appeal with the court of appeals.

Oregon does not explicitly make teacher ineffectiveness grounds for dismissal, nor does the state distinguish the due process rights of teachers dismissed for ineffective performance from those facing other charges commonly associated with license revocation, such as a felony and/or morality violations. The process is the same regardless of the grounds for cancellation, which include inefficiency, immorality, insubordination, neglect of duty, physical or mental incapacity and inadequate performance.

Citation

Oregon Revised Statutes 342.865, 342.905

Recommendations for Oregon

Specify that classroom ineffectiveness is grounds for dismissal.
"Inadequate performance" is ambiguous at best and may be interpreted as concerning dereliction of duty rather than ineffectiveness. Oregon should explicitly make teacher ineffectiveness grounds for dismissal so that districts do not feel they lack the legal basis for terminating consistently poor performers. 

Ensure that teachers terminated for poor performance have the opportunity to appeal within a reasonable time frame.
Nonprobationary teachers who are dismissed for any grounds, including ineffectiveness, are entitled to due process. However, cases that drag on for years drain resources from school districts and create a disincentive for districts to attempt to terminate poor performers. Therefore, Oregon must ensure that the opportunity to appeal occurs only once and only at the district level. It is in the best interest of both the teacher and the district that a conclusion be reached within a reasonable time frame. 

Distinguish the process and accompanying due process rights between dismissal for classroom ineffectiveness and dismissal for morality violations, felonies or dereliction of duty.
While nonprobationary teachers should have due process for any termination, it is important to differentiate between loss of employment and issues with far-reaching consequences that could permanently impact a teacher's right to practice. Oregon should ensure that appeals related to classroom effectiveness are only decided by those with educational expertise.  

State response to our analysis

Oregon recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis.