Methodology

Introduction

ConnCAN has collected each public school district’s administrator contract, or collective bargaining agreement, active through the 2014-2015 school year for the 2016 re-launch of the Administrator Contract Database. Information from the ConnCAN Administrator Contract Database reflects the 2014-2015 school year rather than the current school year. However, select contracts for the 2015-2016 school year are available upon request.

With the exception of the “District Snapshot” section, the database contains information only from the district’s collective bargaining agreement. To collect the contracts required for the database, whenever possible, we first searched the district’s public-facing website. If a contract was not available online, ConnCAN contacted the district’s central office or human resources department. We are grateful that the overwhelming majority of Connecticut’s public school districts have provided these contracts voluntarily, without requiring a public disclosure request.

ConnCAN has worked diligently to ensure that this database includes the most useful and accurate summaries of various contract provisions. Information was extracted from the contract provisions relating to the categories listed below. At least two researchers reviewed and coded the data for each contract. As some of the subject matter of these provisions do not fall under the organization’s area of expertise (for example, medical insurance), information in these sections has been coded in good faith; however, some questions and inquiries regarding specific provisions of this contract may be best answered by professionals in the corresponding industry. Further inquiries about the methodology or this database can be directed to ConnCAN’s Research & Policy Department at research@conncan.org.

ConnCAN Administrator Contract Database Methodology

Section Title	Question Asked	Methodology: How do we report information for this question?	Sources and Notes
District Snapshot	Section overview	This is the only section of the databases with information from a source other than the district’s contract. It is included to provide some context around the size of the school district for comparative purposes. All data was downloaded or requested through an online data request form from the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) website.	CSDE Bureau of Data Collection, Research, and Evaluation. website.
District Snapshot	How many schools are in the district?	The total number of schools assigned a school code within the given district that also have reported student enrollment. This includes traditional public schools, early childhood, Special Education, and/or alternative education centers provided they are located in a separate building from the other schools listed and serve students in any grade PK-12.	CT Open Data Education Directory
District Snapshot	How many administrators are in the district (total)?	Data is presented as reported by districts to the CSDE. Due to the state's definition of "administrators," as included in this report, individuals included in these counts may not directly correlate to the number of individuals covered by the contract. This count includes the total number of administrators, coordinators, and department chairs within a district; as such, not all positions included in these counts necessarily require an administrator certification (092). These counts are also the total number of administrators who hold roles of these types in each district and therefore do not indicate the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff. For example, a staff member who works part-time (for example, 0.5 FTE) in a district is counted the same as a full-time (1.0 FTE) staff member in the same district. A person who works in multiple districts is counted once in each district as reported by the CSDE. Some regional school districts that also have associated elementary school districts share staff between the two districts. Consequently, these districts' totals may be inflated as a number of staff members are shared across the districts.	CSDE 2012-2013 Count of Staff
District Snapshot	How many administrators are in the district (FTE count)?	Data is presented as reported by districts to the Connecticut State Department of Education. Due to the state's definition of "administrators," individuals included in these counts may not directly correlate to the number of individuals covered by the contract. This count includes the total number of administrators within a district only in positions for which the state of Connecticut requires an administrator certification (092). Some districts may require this type of certification for additional positions that are not included in this total count. These counts are sum of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff and do not indicate the number total individual staff members that work in a district. For example, two staff members who works part-time (for example, 0.5 FTE each) in a district is counted the same as a full-time (1.0 FTE) staff member in the same district. A person who works in multiple districts is counted once in each district as reported by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE). Some regional school districts that also have associated elementary school districts share staff between the two districts. Consequently, these districts' totals may be inflated as a number of staff members are shared across the districts.	CSDE 2012-2013 Sum of Full-time Equivalent Staff
District Snapshot	How many students are in the District?	The total number of students enrolled in a district for the 2014-2015 school year as reported by districts to the Connecticut State Department of Education.	2014-2015 Public District Enrollment by Race and Gender
District Snapshot	What grades does the district serve?	The range of grades served by the district, provided that at least one of the schools located in that district serves each of the grades reported. For example, if a district’s grades are listed PK-12, at least one school serves pre-K children but not all schools in the district necessarily have pre-K programs.	CT Open Data Education Directory
Basic Information	Section overview	This section contains information about the negotiation process and timeline.
Basic Information	When does the contract begin?	The date reported in the contract as the start date of when the contract takes effect, typically included in the “duration” article. Most contracts in Connecticut are renegotiated approximately every three school years. For more information on the negotiation timeline of an individual district and its current negotiation status, please visit the link provided.	Click here to see CSDE’s 2015-2016 Listing of Negotiations and Settlement Status
Basic Information	When does the contract expire?	The date reported in the contract as the end date of when the contract remains in effect, typically included in the “Duration” article. Most contracts in Connecticut are renegotiated approximately every three school years. For more information on the negotiation timeline of an individual district and its current negotiation status, please visit the link provided.	Click here to see CSDE’s 2015-2016 Listing of Negotiations and Settlement Status
Basic Information	What union negotiates the contract (CEA or AFT)?	In Connecticut, one of the following unions negotiates all of the administrator contracts: Connecticut Federation of School Administrators, AFSA, AFL-CIO
Basic Information	What types of administrators are covered by the agreement?	Unlike teacher contracts, which cover only teachers, administrator contracts cover a variety of administrators below the rank of superintendent. Administrator contracts typically list the types of administrators covered by the contract, which is noted here (such as principals, assistant principals, directors, etc.)
Basic Information	Click to download this contract	Links to a .PDF of the district’s full contract
Work Day and Work Year	Section overview	This section includes the amount of time each day and each year administrators are required to work and in what capacity. Generally, any number of the following questions may be addressed in the contract but not necessarily all of them. ConnCAN acknowledges that the time contractually required by administrators may not reflect the actual amount of time worked.
Work Day and Work Year	How long is the administrator work year?	Total number of days most administrators are required to work each school year. If additional days are required based on a specific leadership position or due to a new hire, this is specified in the comment field, which users can view by hovering over the red text that says “more info.”
Salary	Section overview	Salaries reported and/or used in calculations for this section are from the district’s 2014-2015 salary schedule unless otherwise noted. These salaries are exclusive of any additional payments that an administrator may earn for extra responsibilities, performance bonuses or other reasons, which are addressed in the following section. This section was also completed presuming annual advancement, although such advancement is not the case in many districts due to step freezes. When an agreement has been made between the district and the union to enact a step freeze for a given school year (or number of school years), administrators do not advance one step at the beginning of each new school year as they otherwise would. The arrow next to the salary indicates if the salary in this specific step and lane increased or decreased from the 2013-2014 school year calculated using the previous school years’ salary schedule for that district. For example: 2014-2015 BA step 1 - 2013-2014 BA step 1 Salary
Salary	What is the lowest-reported elementary/middle school level administrator salary?	The lowest-reported elementary/middle salary is the lowest administrator salary reported for grades K-8. This is often at step 1 but may simply be the lowest recorded salary for that position. Often, the minimum salary is reported from step 1; in the case that a schedule starts on a different step, the lowest salary is reported (for example, salary will be reported from step 2 if step 1 is blank).
Salary	What is the highest-reported elementary/middle school level administrator salary?	The highest reported elementary/middle salary is the highest administrator salary recorded for grades K-8. This is often at the highest step but may simply be the highest reported salary for that position. Administrator contracts, especially those from smaller districts, often do not have steps.
Salary	What is the lowest-reported secondary/high school level administrator salary?	The lowest reported secondary/high school level salary is the lowest administrator salary reported for grades 9-12. This is often at step 1 but may simply be the lowest recorded salary for that position. Most often the minimum salary is reported from step 1 but in the case that a schedule starts on a different step, the lowest salary is reported (for example, salary will be reported from step 2 if step 1 is blank). Administrator contacts, especially those from smaller districts, often do not have steps.
Salary	What is the highest reported secondary/high school level administrator salary?	The highest reported secondary/high school salary is the highest administrator salary reported for grades K-8. This is often at the highest step but may simply be the highest recorded salary for that position. Administrator contacts, especially those from smaller districts, often do not have steps.
Salary	If the district offers a doctoral stipend, what is the amount?	The amount, in dollars, that administrators are awarded annually for holding a doctorate degree if the salary schedule does not have a separate lane for administrators with a doctorate.
Salary	What is the difference between the lowest and highest reported maximum administrator salaries?	Presents the number that is the difference between the lowest reported salary for an administrator and the maximum salary for an administrator. This demonstrates the range of possible salaries within a district depending on years of experience and position.
Salary	How many salary scale categories are in the district's salary schedule?	Total number of lanes (columns) within the salary schedule. This represents the total number of different salary tracks on which an administrator could possibly be placed.
Salary	How are salary scale categories determined (Position, School Type, etc.)?	The classification (by position, school type, etc.) that the names of each individual lane (column) are reported in the salary schedule
Salary	Is there a salary step freeze in the 2014-2015 school year?	If there is a step freeze, it means that administrators will not move up a step in the salary schedule, as they would have otherwise done upon completion of each school year. If a contract explicitly states there is a step freeze for the 2014-2015 school year, then the answer is “Yes” for this question. If it is explicitly stated that there is NOT a step freeze, that administrators will advance, OR there is no information at all regarding a step freeze, then the answer has been marked as “No.” Some contracts include a movement of a “half-step,” step movement partway through the year or other variations on a traditional step freeze. When this is the case, provided there is at least some increase in pay for the current school year, the answer has been marked “No” with a comment paraphrasing the conditions of the increase.
Salary	Can an administrator's salary Increase Be Withheld for Unsatisfactory Performance and/or a Negative Evaluation?	If the response is “Yes” for this category, then the contract explicitly states that an administrator may have their annual step increase and/or change in salary lane (due to change in degree status) withheld for unsatisfactory performance and/or an unsatisfactory evaluation rating. The conditions and procedures related to such withholding are summarized in the comment field. If the procedure for an administrator to earn back the salary/step increase is outlined, this is also outlined in the comment field. If a contract references that an administrator may have their salary increases withheld for reasons that may include performance, such as disciplinary or other reasons, the response is “-” for this category. If a contract refers to salary or increment withholding for “just cause,” the response is also “-” for this category. A response of “No” for this category means that step withholding is not referenced at all in the contract or it is stated explicitly that salary increases may not be withheld for performance-related reasons.
Additional Compensation	Section overview	This section describes various types of additional payments that administrators may earn based on extra qualifications, duties performed, or other efforts to supplement their annual salaries. These payments may be paid in various forms, such as annual stipends or hourly compensation.
Additional Compensation	Does the district provide some type of performance or incentive-based pay?	If a district has “Yes” for this category, it offers some type of merit-based pay based on criteria such as administrator performance, student improvement, etc. on an individual, school, or district-wide basis. Pay incentives for non-performance related items such as perfect attendance are not included in this classification.
Additional Compensation	If a district offers performance or incentive-based pay, under what conditions is performance pay granted?	Specifies whether the merit-based pay is for performance on an individual, school, or district basis. The comment field for this question includes details about the specific performance or improvement required to qualify to earn the payment. Individual basis: Administrators earn additional pay based on individual performance; for example, on evaluations, or the performance of the class/students they teach School basis: All administrators within a school may earn additional pay based on the performance or performance improvement of all students in the school District basis: All administrators within a district may earn additional pay based on the performance or performance improvement of all students in the district
Additional Compensation	What is the maximum available performance bonus?	The maximum amount that an administrator may earn annually in performance or incentive-based pay. If the amount is determined by a percentage or some other manner in which a dollar amount is not specified, any given information regarding pay amount is included in the comment field.
Additional Compensation	Can an administrator earn additional pay by working in a school or position classified as "high-needs" or "hard to staff"?	If a district has “Yes” for this category, it offers extra payment for an educator who elects to teach in a school or certification area that is considered “high-needs” or “hard to staff” for various reasons, such as: turnaround schools, schools with large “high-needs” student enrollment, state-designated administrator shortage areas, etc.
Additional Compensation	If an administrator can earn additional pay by working in a school or position classified as "high-needs" or "hard to staff," what is the amount?	The amount and/or conditions by which an administrator may earn for working in a school or certification area that is “high-needs” or “hard to staff.” These amounts may be paid through annual stipends, hiring bonuses, advanced placement on the salary schedule, or an additional percentage annual salary.
Additional Compensation	Does the district provide longevity payments?	If the response is “Yes” for this category, the Board of Education offers extra payment for administrators who have provided a certain number of years service to the district. Longevity payments are issued either on an annual basis or only during certain “milestone” years, such as 25 years of service.
Additional Compensation	If the district provides longevity payments, what is the amount?	In this field, the amount for payments is expressed in dollar format. If the number of years required is specified in a range, the payments are made annually to administrators based on their length of service. If there are not ranges specified, and the field does not say “annually,” then these payments are either made only when administrators reach “milestone” years, or the information is inconclusive as to whether the payments are annual.
Additional Compensation	Does the district provide tuition reimbursement?	If the response is “Yes” for this category, the district offers reimbursement for administrators to use towards tuition payment to obtain advanced professional degrees or further study that may but are not necessarily required by the Board.
Additional Compensation	If the district provides tuition reimbursement, how much do they provide?	The amount contributed by the district for tuition reimbursement purposes may be reported in a number of forms, including but not limited to maximum amounts for: total credits, number of courses, percent contribution per course/credit, total dollar amounts, or district wide total pool of funds. Specific requirements for obtaining reimbursement, such as minimum grade requirement, are captured in the comment field for this question. Information about the total district wide pool of funds will be reported in the comment field.
Benefits	Section Overview	This section details various types of leave that administrators are granted throughout the school year and the conditions under which such leave may be taken.
Benefits	How many sick days are administrators granted each year?	The total number of sick days that administrators receive per year. Per Connecticut state law, administrators are entitled to a minimum of 15 paid sick days each year. If administrators may earn or be granted additional days due to extended work years, perfect attendance, or other reasons, such days are discussed in the corresponding comment field.	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-156 For more information, please see our table on collective bargaining laws.
Benefits	How many total sick days can an administrator accumulate?	The number of sick days that administrators may accumulate in total throughout their career. Per Connecticut state law, administrators can accumulate an annual minimum of 150 sick days.	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-156 For more info., please see our table on collective bargaining laws.
Benefits	At what rate are accumulated sick days paid out upon retirement?	This question describes how much compensation administrators are granted for their unused sick days upon retirement. Most often, these rates are calculated at a certain percentage of days accumulated paid at a per diem rate (the administrator’s salary divided by the total number of work days). If there are conditions for receiving such payment, such as required minimum years of total service, this information is specified in the corresponding comment field.
Benefits	Does the district offer a sick leave bank option?	A sick leave bank is a voluntary program wherein administrators may donate a certain number of their sick days each year. In return for these donations, administrators may withdraw up to a maximum of sick days from the bank during periods of extended illness. A summary of the conditions of donating and/or withdrawing days from the bank is included in the comment field.
Benefits	How many personal days are administrators granted each year?	The total number of personal days administrators receive per year. While the definition of “personal days” varies by district, most often they may be taken for reasons relating to personal business that cannot be conducted outside of the work day, such as: legal business, religious observance, personal/family events (commencement, wedding, funeral etc.), and emergencies.
Benefits	Can an administrator accumulate personal days?	The number of personal days that administrators may accumulate in total throughout their career. In most districts, personal days do not accumulate from year to year.
Benefits	How much vacation leave is an administrator granted?	The number of vacation days administrators receive per year.
Benefits	Can administrators take vacation leave during the school year?	If a district has “Yes” for this category, it means that administrators are permitted to take vacation time while during the school year. “No” indicates that the district does not allow for vacation days during the school year or the contract does not specify.
Benefits	If yes, how much vacation leave can be taken during the school year?	The number of vacation days that administrators are allowed to take while school is in session. If a number is not specified but the contract states that such vacation time may be taken upon approval by the Superintendent or other administrator, this is noted under the text “more info.”
Benefits	How many days of vacation time can be carried over from year to year?	If an administrator does not use all of his or her vacation days within a given year, the number of vacation days that he or she may roll over to the subsequent school year.
Benefits	Are administrators compensated for professional development days?	If the response is “Yes” for this category, the district provides paid leave and/or reimbursement for professional development purposes, such as conference attendance, visiting other schools, or other similar events (these days do not count against sick or personal leave).
Benefits	If yes, how much compensated professional leave is granted?	The maximum amount of professional leave that is granted per administrator, which may be expressed in number of days of paid leave, maximum reimbursement in a dollar amount, or a district-wide pool total amount. If the field states only “paid professional leave,” there is no maximum amount specified in the contract. Conditions required for approval of professional leave are specified in the comment field.
Benefits	What are the other types of leave available?	Lists the additional leave granted to administrators aside from sick and personal leave, such as: bereavement leave, sabbatical, leave of absence, etc. The number of paid days for each type of leave, where mentioned in the contract, is mentioned in parenthesis. If leave is unpaid or paid only to a certain proportion of overall salary, this is also included in parenthesis. Types of leave that are not included in this category, besides sick, professional and personal leave, are those that are granted under state and/or federal laws and regulations, such as leave for jury duty, military service, or The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Maternity and/or childrearing leave is included in our list despite the fact that can be categorized as FMLA leave because it is arguably the most frequently utilized leave in this category, and per users’ requests. More information on the specifics of maternity leave for each district are available within the contract	For more information on leave laws and regulations, please see our table on collective bargaining laws.
Insurance	Section overview	This section provides basic information regarding various types of insurance benefits offered by the district. This section highlights certain key insurance benefits and is not designed to be all-inclusive. For additional details regarding a specific district, please refer to the contract directly. Should there be questions regarding any of the insurance benefits, it may be advisable to consult a benefit specialist.
Insurance	What is the primary medical plan option (PPO, HMO, etc.)?	States the insurance plan type for the primary medical benefit offered to administrators. Although some contracts refer to a specific plan name offered by an individual insurance carrier, the plans are reported here as one of the following generic plan types: HMO, PPO, POS, and HDHP. If a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) also accompanies an HDHP or PPO plan, this is also included in this field. If HSA or HRA are not stated in this field, it means that the district offers only the insurance plan specified (for example, HDHP or PPO) without a sponsored account. If the contract doesn't explicitly state the type of plan, ConnCAN has made an educated guess based on background knowledge of the different types of plans and information included in the contract as to what the plan type is. Any educated guesses are identified in the comment field of this question. Many times, the contract explicitly specifies a certain plan option as the preferred, primary or main plan. If there are multiple plans available and there is not an explicit preference stated for one plan over the other, the “primary” plan is determined in a few different ways. If the premium contribution of one plan is used to determine all other contribution rates, it is considered the primary plan. For example, if there is a 19% employee contribution for Plan A, but the employee may participate in Plan B provided they pay the difference between the cost of Plan A and Plan B, then Plan A is considered the primary plan. If none of this information is available, the plan that is listed first in the contract is considered to be the primary plan.
Insurance	What percent of the total cost must administrators contribute toward the primary medical plan offered by the district?	The percentage that an administrator pays towards their medical insurance premiums for the primary medical insurance option determined by the district for the 2014-2015 school year (unless otherwise specified). These premiums are usually pre-tax payroll deductions that come out every paycheck. The district pays the remaining percentage towards the full cost of the premium (100% less the employee contribution). This percentage is the employee contribution to the primary medical insurance plan only, and does not apply to other types of insurance such as dental or vision. If a plan is accompanied by a sponsored account such as a Health Savings Account (HSA), any district contributions are not captured in this field. Given the increase in these accounts being offered noted this year, ConnCAN will consider adding a question to capture these contributions in future years. This premium contribution percentage reflects medical insurance only, and not for other types of health insurance such as dental or prescription drug coverage. In addition, this percentage represents the employee contribution towards the premium cost of coverage, and does not include additional out-of-pocket expenses such as copays, deductibles, etc.
Insurance	What other types of medical plans are available?	If the district offers more than one medical insurance plan, then the additional plans are listed in this field. The percent contribution for employees enrolling in these alternative health plans are included in the comment field for this question if it is specified in the contract. This percentage is that which the employee contributes to the annual premium cost of the alternative medical plan only, and does not specify contribution made to any associated sponsored accounts (such as HSA) or any additional out-of-pocket expenses such as co-pays, deductibles, etc.
Insurance	If there is a financial incentive for waiving medical insurance, what is the dollar amount paid to individuals?	Some districts offer financial incentives for employees who elect not to participate in the medical insurance plan offered by the Board, because they are enrolled in another plan, such as that of a spouse. In this case, the employee waives health insurance benefits offered by the district in exchange for a payout. The rate reported in this field is the dollar amount for waiving insurance for just the employee. Sometimes this payout is specified as a percentage of the cost of coverage or other non-dollar amount; information on these types of payout are included in the comment field for this question. If there are amounts specified for employees who are also waiving insurance for their spouse and/or dependents, this is also included in the comment field.
Insurance	How much life insurance does the district provide?	If the benefit is offered, includes the amount of group term life insurance provided for the employee, which is typically expressed in dollar amount or in multiples of the administrator’s salary. Where maximums are applicable, these are reflected as well. Unless it is specified otherwise, life insurance coverage is provided at no cost to the employee. If the employee must contribute towards the cost of the premium, the amount is included in the comment field. If the district also provides life insurance for spouses and/or dependents, or if the employee may purchase additional coverage at their own expense through a buy-up, this is also captured in the comment field. It is worth noting that although accidental, death, and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance is typically offered alongside term life insurance, information about this type of coverage is not included in the information presented for this question.
Insurance	How much long-term disability does the district provide?	If the benefit is offered, Includes the long-term disability benefit provided to the employee, which is typically expressed in a proportion of the administrator’s salary up to a monthly maximum. Unless it is specified otherwise, long-term disability coverage is provided at no cost to the employee. If the employee must contribute towards the cost of the premium, the amount is included in the comment field. If there are any notable nuances to the benefit, these are also included in the comment field.
Insurance	How much does the district contribute to retiree medical insurance premiums (before trb)?	Per Connecticut state law, districts must offer health insurance plans to administrators who have retired from the district who are not yet age 65 and/or are eligible for Medicare or the full benefits provided by the Teacher’s Retirement Board. However, districts are not required to share any of the cost of offering the plan. This question captures the amount (if any) that the district contributes towards the retired administrators’ health insurance before they are eligible for the benefits stated above. Most often, retirees must pay the full cost of the premium in order to continue coverage, with no financial contribution from the district. If the district contributes any amount, which may be expressed in dollar amount or percent of premium, it is included in this field. If there are any qualifying conditions for the retiree to have any portion of insurance premium paid by the board, this is also included in the either the main question or the comment field, depending on the number of conditions stated in the contract.	Conn. Gen. Stat. §10-183t et. seq. (2015) For more information on leave laws and regulations, please see our table on collective bargaining laws.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Section Overview	This section summarizes the procedures through which administrators may be either laid off or transferred to another position as a result of a reduction in force. Districts may enact a reduction in force for a number of reasons, including but not limited to decreased student enrollment or financial reasons.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	How does salary change if an administrator is transferred to another administrative position?	This question describes how an administrator’s salary is impacted if he or she is transferred to another administrative position within the layoff process. This question addresses the different methods that a district may utilize to remedy a shortfall in compensation when an administrator is transferred from a higher paid position to a position with a lower posted salary.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	How does salary change if an administrator is transferred to a teaching position?	This question describes how salary is affected if an administrator is transferred to a teaching position as part of the layoff process. Therefore, this question addresses the different methods a district may utilize to remedy a shortfall in compensation when an administrator is transferred from a higher paid administrative position to a teaching position with a lower posted salary. Under Connecticut law, if an administrator’s position has been eliminated, he or she must be given the opportunity to transfer into the teacher’s bargaining unit and bump into a teaching position.	Conn. Educ. Ass’n v. State Bd. of Labor Relations, 5 Conn. App. 253, cert. denied, 197 Conn. 814 (1985).
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Is seniority a factor considered in layoffs?	Seniority in this section is considered by any definition of length of service, including but not limited to: continuous or total service in district, years teaching in or outside of the district, date of hire, etc. If the district uses multiple definitions or determinations of seniority, then all of the ways in which seniority is calculated or quantified is included in the list of “other factors” considered for layoffs.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Is seniority a primary factor considered in layoffs?	If seniority as defined above is among a multitude of factors with an expressed priority level or preference for seniority, it is recorded as "primary factor.” However, even if seniority is not explicitly stated as a priority, it may still be considered a primary factor. As such, if seniority is ordered as the first or second factor among a list of ranked/ordered factors, then it is considered a primary factor and the response is “Yes” for this question. However, if the contract states or implies that all factors in a list (including seniority) will be considered equally or simultaneously; or, if the contract doesn’t specify priority, then it is not considered to be a primary factor.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Is seniority the only factor considered in layoffs?	If the only factor listed is seniority, or there are multiple factors listed but they are all various definitions of seniority, then it is considered to be the only factor in layoffs. If the only non-seniority factor listed is tenure (for example, all non-tenured administrators will be laid off before tenured administrators), then the response is also “Yes” for this question. Tiebreakers are not considered when deciding if seniority is the only factor in layoffs. For example, if a district bases layoffs solely on seniority but with all measures of seniority being equal, the tiebreaker is social security number, then seniority is still considered to be the only factor.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Are evaluations a factor considered in layoffs?	Evaluation in this and in subsequent section is considered to be either explicit references to formal evaluations or references to administrator performance, but does not include other related factors such as ability or qualifications. If the district uses multiple definitions or determinations of performance, then all of the ways in which performance is evaluated is included in the list of “other factors” considered for layoffs.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Are evaluations a primary factor considered in layoffs?	If evaluation as defined above is among a multitude of factors with an expressed priority level or preference, it is recorded as "primary factor.” However, even if evaluation is not explicitly stated as a priority, it may still be considered a primary factor. As such, if evaluation is included as the first or second factor among a list of multiple factors, then it is considered a primary factor and the response is “Yes” for this question. However, if the contract states that all factors in a list (including evaluation) will be considered equally or simultaneously, then it is not considered to be a primary factor.
	Are evaluations the only factor considered in layoffs?	If the only factor for listed is evaluations, or there are multiple factors listed but they are all various definitions of performance, then it is considered to be the only factor in layoffs. Tiebreakers are not considered when deciding if evaluation is the only factor in layoffs. For example, if a district bases layoffs solely on evaluations, but with all measures of performance being equal, the tiebreaker is social security number, then evaluation is still considered to be the only factor.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	What are other factors considered in layoffs?	Includes a list of any factor considered in layoffs besides seniority and/or evaluation. If there are multiple definitions of either seniority or evaluation considered, they are also listed in this response. Factors are listed in the order in which they appear in the contract, with the exception of removing singular references to seniority and/or evaluation.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	What is the tiebreaker in layoffs?	Tiebreakers are provisions that are listed separately from the list of factors in layoffs that are either explicitly called such. Factors in layoffs that are separated from the main list of factors and are stated to be considered only if all other factors are equal and do not result in a decision, then these are also defined as tie-breakers. Tiebreakers are not considered when determining if either seniority or evaluation are the “only” factors in layoffs, because they are only enacted under special circumstances and staffing decisions can be made without ever having to utilize them.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	How many years can an administrator’s name be on the district's recall list?	A recall list is a list of administrators who have been laid off who may be offered an available position in the district as one becomes available. In this question, the numeric value refers to the number of years an administrator may remain on a list to be offered an available position after being laid off. If the contract defines this period of time in months, then it is converted to years for the main field but the comment field maintains the original contract language. If contract mentions the factors considered in recall or an order in which administrators are offered open positions, they are summarized in the comment field.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	What is the procedure for involuntary transfers due to layoffs?	This question summarizes the process by and/or order in which administrators are transferred or “bumped” to new positions during district-wide reductions in force to prevent layoff. Procedures that are specific to reductions in force only are included in this question. Most often under these conditions, tenured administrators are transferred to the positions of non-tenured and/or less senior administrators, who in turn are either “bumped” to another position or laid off depending on the availability of alternate positions. Generally, administrators may only “bump” administrators in positions they are also certified and qualified for.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Are evaluations a factor in involuntary transfers due to layoffs?	If the response is “Yes” to this question, then evaluation as defined above (as formal evaluations or performance) is considered in deciding if an administrator is allowed to “bump” another administrator and transfer into their position. For example, a more senior administrator may only “bump” a less senior or non-tenured administrator if they meet certain evaluation or performance criteria. If other factors that may include but do not explicitly reference performance, such as “ability,” are listed, then the response is “-” for this question. If there is no reference to any such factors, or it is explicitly stated that seniority is the only factor (or that evaluation is not a factor), then the response is “No” for this question.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Are evaluations a factor in involuntary transfers due to layoffs?	This question summarizes the reasons for and/or factors considered when administrators are involuntarily transferred to new positions or schools within the district for reasons other than a district-wide reduction in force. For this question, references to “change in assignment” are also considered to be involuntary transfers, unless they are characterized as voluntary or promotions. The information provided in this response does not include logistical elements (for example, meetings, written forms, etc.), but rather possible reasons for or other procedures followed when making a decision to involuntarily transfer an administrator. If not subject to the standard grievance procedure, this information is included in the comment field.
Layoff and Transfer Procedures	Are evaluations a factor in non-layoff involuntary transfers?	If a the response is “Yes” to this question, then evaluation as defined above (as formal evaluations or performance) is a reason for which an administrator may be involuntarily transferred to another school or position within the district. If the concept for involuntary transfer for disciplinary purposes are referenced, but performance is not explicitly stated as the reason for such actions, then the response is “-” for this question. If other factors that may include but do not explicitly reference performance, such as “ability,” are listed, then the response is also “-.” If there is no reference to such transfers, or it is explicitly stated that seniority is the only factor (or that evaluation/performance is not a factor), then the response is “No” for this question.
Retirement Payout	Section Overview	This section summarizes the extent to which a district’s contract specifies additional benefits surrounding administrator retirement including payouts and incentives for early retirement and early notice of retirement.
Retirement Payout	Does the district provide a retirement payout (aside from sick leave or retiree insurance benefits)?	If the response is “Yes” to this question, then the district provides some type of payout upon retirement that is unrelated to sick leave.
Retirement Payout	If yes, how much is the retirement payout?	This question summarizes the benefits that administrators receive if there is a payout separate from sick leave.
Retirement Payout	Does the district provide incentives for advanced notice of retirement?	This question encompasses incentives related to early retirement and advanced notice of retirement.
Retirement Payout	If Yes, what are the conditions of those incentives?	This is a summary of the requirements for receiving any incentives for advanced notice of retirement or for early retirement. This often includes a date by which administrators must give notice of their retirement.

In This Section

Introduction

ConnCAN Administrator Contract Database Methodology

Navigate

Quick Links

JOIN US