Policy committee moves teacher-responsibilities policy to action, asks staff to draft veteran-teacher exemption language

The Wake County Public School System Policy Committee voted to place a revised policy on teacher responsibilities and duties (policy 74.05) on the Oct. 7 action agenda and asked staff to draft optional language that would restore a local exemption allowing some veteran teachers to be excused from required extra-duty assignments.

Committee members discussed the relationship between 74.05 and policy 76.02, which governs board-approved extra-duty pay. Staff said the revisions clarify that duties that are paid fall under the extra-duty pay schedule in policy 76.02, and the new 74.05 language references that policy to differentiate unpaid professional responsibilities from paid extra duties.

Veteran-teacher exemption discussion

Several board members raised a past local exemption for teachers with more than 27 years of service that had remained in local policy after the state statute that created it changed. Chair Haggerty said the board had not discussed removing the exemption when the policy was migrated and suggested the board consider restoring a local exception for long-serving teachers, similar to the existing administrative flexibility for beginning teachers. "Anything we can do to support our most senior teachers in Wake County Public Schools, if this is something that we can do, we should do it," Haggerty said. Other members cautioned about defining a new category called "veteran teacher," and suggested phrasing such as "teachers with 27 years of service" rather than inventing a new label.

Administrative details

Staff noted that the superintendent is responsible for preparing a standard extra-duty salary schedule and that the schedules are typically included in the annual budget materials that the board reviews. The committee directed staff to incorporate any drafted amendments into the policy language and return the item for action.

Motion and outcome

The motion to place policy 74.05 on the Oct. 7 action agenda and to direct staff to draft amendments was made by Chair Haggerty and seconded by Mr. Hershey; the committee approved the motion.

Provenance: Discussion of 74.05 opened during the committee's policy review and concluded with a motion to bring the revised policy and possible veteran-teacher exemption language back for action on Oct. 7.