The goal of the board of trustees is to provide an educational program of the highest possible standards. Success in attaining this goal is dependent in large measure upon the competency of the professional staff and of those who serve in direct supporting positions to the instructional program of the school. In support of the board’s goals, it is the policy of the board to recruit and retain the highest caliber of professional, certificated personnel and non-certificated employees and to encourage the continued professional preparation of all certificated personnel.
GUIDELINES
Recruitment of certificated employees is the responsibility of the superintendent or designee. In the discharge of this responsibility, the superintendent will make such use of other administrative and supervisory staff members as may be both practical and effective. Recruitment practices will be conducted in a professional and competent manner with utmost regard for the welfare of the school district. All persons selected for employment must be recommended by the superintendent or designee and approved by the board.
In selecting personnel for employment with the district, the superintendent or designee will be guided by the requirements of state and federal law, as well as district policies relating to veteran’s preference (Policy 400.10), employer recommendations (Policy 404), information on past job performance (Policy 404.50), criminal history checks (Policy 402) and non-discrimination (Policy 290).
The district shall actively recruit for the best qualified personnel for each job vacancy. The district reserves the right to assign, reassign, and transfer personnel in the best interests of educational practice. In-building or in-district reassignments to vacant positions will be considered prior to vacancy announcements.
As used herein, “qualified candidates” or “qualified personnel” means those individuals who satisfy identified qualifications, experience and other identified criteria for the position, which may include, but is not limited to, any of the following: training, experience, character, certification, and education. Qualified candidates are also those individuals who agree to provide information on past job performance as required by Idaho Code §33-1210 and district Policy 404.50 (Information on Past Job Performance) and who agree to submit to a criminal background check in accordance with Idaho Code §33-130 and §33-512(15) and district Policy 402 (Criminal History Checks for Employees, Volunteers and Contractors).
All applicants applying for a certificated position who are pursing an alternate route to certification shall be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must hold or demonstrate the ability to hold any state certification required for the position and demonstrate they meet the alternate route requirements.
Except where otherwise specified, this policy applies to the hiring of all certified and classified staff members in the district except the superintendent. This policy shall be made available to any district employee or person seeking employment with the district.
HIRING REQUIREMENTS
1. The district will follow the district’s nondiscrimination policy (Policy 290) in its hiring process.
2. All applicants for teaching and administrative positions shall provide evidence of meeting state requirements for certification and sign a statement authorizing current and past school district employers, including those outside of Idaho, to release to the district all information relating to past job performance or job related conduct, and making available to the district copies of all documents in the applicant’s previous personnel files, investigative, or other files, consistent with the requirements of Policy 404.50.
3. Applicants shall be required to provide a sworn written statement disclosing any pending or prior investigations, resignations during investigations or in lieu of contemplated disciplinary action, or disciplinary actions involving the applicant for misconduct in connection with employment or professional licensure or certification. Any applicant who makes a material misrepresentation or willful omission related to the disclosure statement or information required by this policy or Idaho law shall be subject to immediate termination of employment or rescission of such applicant’s offer of employment or employment contract.
4. Applicants must meet the applicable state standards for the position for which they are applying. Applicants for high school and middle school teaching positions should have a major or its equivalent in the field in which they will be teaching. Applicants for elementary school positions should have a major or its equivalent in elementary education or in their special area of assignment.
5. Each newly hired employee must complete an Immigration and Naturalization Service form, as required by federal law.
The employment of any certificated staff member is not official until the contract is approved by the board and signed by both the board chair and the applicant.
NOTICE OF VACANCIES
Vacancies will be posted only after one of the following has occurred: (a) the board approves a written resignation from an employee; (b) a termination has occurred; (c) the board approves a release from contract; (d) a new position is created; or (e) a vacancy has otherwise occurred. When the official resignation has been received, or a position is otherwise available, the superintendent or designee will post notices on the district website and on any internal employee portal. If a termination or release from contract requires board approval, the superintendent may post the vacancy pending this approval. In certain circumstances the superintendent maydetermine that only internal candidates will be considered for a position or may restrict applications to internal candidates only for a specified period of time prior to posting the vacancy on the district’s website.
Vacancy notices will include the following information:
1. Position available and job description.
2. Requirements for completed application, as applicable for the position. For a certificated position, these shall include, but are not limited to: (a) a completed district application form; (b) official transcripts of all university or college credits; (c) a personal resume; (d) verification of eligibility of Idaho certification. For all positions, a signed statement/release for current and past school district employers is required.
3. Timeline for receiving applications.
4. Notification of how applications will be handled.
5. Any other information relevant for the position.
NONCONTRACTED PROVISIONAL HIRING
This district may employ applicants on a noncontracted provisional basis as set forth in this policy. An applicant hired provisionally pending the review of personnel documents will be provided with the same compensation and benefits as other employees in similar positions but will have no contractual or property rights until all contingencies of employment are satisfied.
The district will review prior employer personnel performance materials within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt. For individuals employed on a noncontracted provisional basis for a certificated position, a standard certificated contract will be automatically issued at the end of the thirty (30) day review period, unless prior to that time, the board articulates in writing the specific information received that justifies a decision not to issue a standard contract. Any reason articulated by the board must be derived only from the documents received in the personnel file and may not be based upon any event that has occurred during the period of time the employee had the status as a noncontracted provisional certified professional employee.
Individuals provisionally employed in a non-certificated position will be automatically hired as an at-will employee at the end of the thirty (30) day review period, unless prior to that time, the board articulates in writing the specific information received which justified a decision to terminate the provisional employment.
RECOMMENDATION AND BOARD ACTION
Upon receiving a verbal or written statement of intention to accept employment, pending board approval, by the candidate, the superintendent will prepare any necessary papers or information for recommendation to the board at its next regular or special meeting.
Where the individual qualifications of the applicant are to be evaluated in order to fill a specific vacancy or need, the board may discuss such individual applicant in executive session pursuant to Idaho law. Following any such executive session, the board may, in open session, vote to approve or disapprove the hiring of the candidate(s).
EXECUTION OF CONTRACTS FOLLOWING HIRING APPROVAL
Upon approval of the hiring recommendation by the board, a contract, in a form approved by the superintendent of public instruction, will be sent or given to the applicant pursuant to the requirements of Idaho Code §33-513. The applicant must sign and return the contract within ten (10) days from the date the contract is delivered to them. If the applicant willfully refuses to acknowledge receipt of the contract or if the contract is not signed and returned to the board in the designated time period, the board or designee may declare the position vacant. If the applicant recommended for hiring is not approved, or if the approved applicant willfully fails to acknowledge receipt of the contract or the contract is not signed and returned to the board as required herein, the superintendent may consider the next applicant’s name for hiring or reopen the vacancy for consideration of new applicants.
CERTIFICATION
To be eligible for employment, each teacher, pupil service staff, or administrator must have, and maintain during the entire year, a valid Idaho instructional/pupil service staff/administrator certificate on file in the district office at the beginning of the school year. If at any time the teacher/pupil service staff/administrator’s certification lapses, is revoked, or suspended, the certificated employee may be subject to action declaring a contract violation and action may be taken to terminate the employment of the employee.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
LEGAL REFERENCE:
Idaho Code Sections
33-130 – Criminal History Checks for School District Employees or Applicants for Certificates
33-145 – Idaho Student Safety and Educator Disclosure Act
33-506 – Organization and Government of Board of Trustees
33-512 – Governance of Schools (Criminal History Checks)
33-513 – Professional Personnel
33-1210 – Information on Past Job Performance
65-501 et seq. – Rights and Privileges of Veterans
74-206 – Executive Sessions – When Authorized
IDAPA
08.02.02.015.02 – Standard Pupil Service Staff Certificate
21.01.06 – Rules for the Enforcement of the Veteran’s Preference in Public Employment
CROSS-REFERENCE:
Nondiscrimination #290
Idaho State Veteran Employment Preference #400.10
Criminal History Checks for Employees, Volunteers, and Contractors #402
Employer Recommendations #404
Applicants: Information on Past Job Performance #404.50
ADOPTED: July 14, 2026
AMENDED: