Public Charter Schools
ORS
338.135
Employees
- licensure and registration requirements
- collective bargaining
- prohibition on waiver of right to sponsor charter school
(1)
Employee assignment to a public charter school shall be voluntary.(b)
If a virtual public charter school or the sponsor of a virtual public charter school contracts with a for-profit entity to provide educational services through the virtual public charter school, the for-profit entity may not be the employer of any employees of the virtual public charter school unless:(A)
The employee is an administrator who does not have any teaching responsibilities; and(B)
Both the executive officer of the sponsor and the public charter school governing body approve employment by the for-profit entity. The executive officer or governing body may choose to grant approval under this subparagraph:(i)
For all employees of the for-profit entity who meet the description in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;(ii)
Based on the job categories of the employees who meet the description in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph; or(iii)
On a case-by-case basis for each employee who meets the description in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.(3)
The school district board of the school district within which the public charter school is located shall grant a leave of absence to any employee who chooses to work in the public charter school. The length and terms of the leave of absence shall be set by negotiated agreement or by board policy. However, the length of the leave of absence may not be less than two years unless:(a)
The charter of the public charter school is terminated or the public charter school is dissolved or closed during the leave of absence; or(b)
The employee and the school district board have mutually agreed to a different length of time.(4)
An employee of a public charter school operating within a school district who is granted a leave of absence from the school district and returns to employment with the school district shall retain seniority and benefits as an employee pursuant to the terms of the leave of absence. Notwithstanding ORS 243.650 (Definitions for ORS 243) to 243.809 (Determinations regarding alleged misconduct of law enforcement officer in accordance with uniform standards), a school district that was the employer of an employee of a public charter school not operating within the school district may make provisions for the return of the employee to employment with the school district.(b)
For purposes of determining the salary paid between August 29, 2003, and January 1, 2020, to a member of the Public Employees Retirement System under ORS 238A.005 (Definitions) (17), remuneration paid to a member in return for services to a public charter school is deemed includable in the member’s taxable income under Oregon law during a period of continuous employment with any public charter school if:(A)
The member was hired in a qualifying position by any public charter school on or after August 29, 2003;(B)
The remuneration was, or would have been if the member were an Oregon resident, includable in the member’s taxable income under Oregon law during the period of continuous employment; and(C)
The member resided and performed services in the United States during the period of continuous employment.(c)
As used in this subsection, “continuous employment” means employment with a public charter school that is not interrupted by a period of more than 30 consecutive calendar days.(6)
For teacher licensing, employment experience in public charter schools shall be considered equivalent to experience in public schools.(b)
Any person employed as a teacher in a public charter school shall be licensed or registered to teach by the commission.(c)
Notwithstanding paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection, at least one-half of the total full-time equivalent (FTE) teaching and administrative staff at the public charter school shall be licensed by the commission pursuant to ORS 342.125 (Types of licenses).(8)
Notwithstanding ORS 243.650 (Definitions for ORS 243), a public charter school shall be considered a school district for purposes of ORS 243.650 (Definitions for ORS 243) to 243.809 (Determinations regarding alleged misconduct of law enforcement officer in accordance with uniform standards). An employee of a public charter school may be a member of a labor organization or organize with other employees to bargain collectively. Bargaining units at the public charter school may be separate from other bargaining units of the sponsor or of the school district in which the public charter school is located. Employees of a public charter school may be part of the bargaining units of the sponsor or of the school district in which the public charter school is located.(9)
An entity described in ORS 338.005 (Definitions for chapter) (4) may not waive the right to sponsor a public charter school in a collective bargaining agreement. [1999 c.200 §17; 1999 c.199 §1; 2003 c.733 §73; 2007 c.575 §6; 2009 c.691 §13a; 2011 c.695 §8; 2013 c.327 §§6,7; 2015 c.647 §§4,5; 2018 c.72 §29; 2021 c.135 §14]Notes of Decisions
Parents conducting day-to-day instruction of students are considered teaching staff for purposes of 50 percent licensure requirement. Coquille School District 8 v. Castillo, 212 Or App 596, 159 P3d 338 (2007)
Attorney General Opinions
Ability of charter school to contract operations to private, for-profit entity, (2000) Vol 49, p 254