Rankin SB7 RIF committee declines to move teachers from Group 2 into Group 3

The SB 7 reduction-in-force (RIF) joint committee for Rankin School District 98 met Aug. 12, 2025, and decided not to adopt criteria that would reassign teachers from Group 2 into Group 3 under the statutory sequence-of-dismissal framework. Dr. Matt Gordon called the meeting to order at 11:43 a.m., and the committee worked through the questionnaire provided by the regional office of education.

When the committee reached the item asking whether a teacher whose last two performance evaluations included a 'Needs Improvement' and either a 'Proficient' or 'Excellent' should be excluded from Group 2 and placed into Group 3, members "considered the foregoing, but did not reach agreement on the matter, therefore, the otherwise applicable requirements of Section 24-12(b) of the School Code apply." The minutes record that "the committee agreed not to move teachers from group 2 to group 3." This action means the default statutory criteria will govern any future sequence-of-dismissal lists unless the committee later adopts different written criteria.

The decision preserves the school code’s baseline protections and procedures; committee members acknowledged their right to review performance-rating lists and seek additional analysis if they suspect a disproportionate number of lower ratings among longer-serving staff. The meeting adjourned at 11:47 a.m. after a unanimous motion to adjourn made by Lisa Thompson and seconded by Amy Galletti.

Next steps: the committee completed the ROE questionnaire as required; any member may request the anonymized performance-rating lists within the statutory timelines noted in the minutes.