Arizona § 15-1325 - Superintendent and other personnel; appointment; compensation; term of employment; qualifications; nonretention notice

§ 15-1325. Superintendent and other personnel; appointment; compensation; term of employment; qualifications; nonretention notice

A. There shall be a superintendent of the schools who shall be the executive officer. The superintendent shall be appointed by the board of directors, and the board shall issue one, two or three year contracts for the superintendent. The superintendent is eligible to receive compensation pursuant to section 38-611. The board of directors shall designate the management and supervisory positions. The superintendent, with the approval of and acting on behalf of the board, shall issue one, two or three year contracts for the management and supervisory positions designated by the board pursuant to this section. Compensation for persons who are issued contracts pursuant to this section shall be paid according to a range of compensation approved by the board of directors.

B. The board of directors shall determine the qualifications for the superintendent by action taken at a public meeting. The board of directors shall consider the following qualifications for a candidate for the superintendent position:

1. Experience in the education of students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired and deaf and blind.

2. Experience in the administration of education programs for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired and deaf and blind.

3. A clear understanding of, and expertise in, the education issues facing deaf and blind students, language acquisition, communication access, independent living and accessible education materials.

C. The board of directors shall establish a system for the evaluation of the performance of the superintendent in consultation with the administration of the schools. The superintendent shall establish a system for the evaluation of the performance of persons who are contracted pursuant to this section in consultation with the staff of the schools.

D. On or before April 15 preceding the expiration of the superintendent's employment contract, the board of directors shall give written notice to the superintendent of the board's intention to offer or not to offer a new employment contract. On or before April 15 preceding the expiration of the contract of a person contracted by the superintendent, acting on behalf of the board pursuant to this section, the superintendent shall give written notice to the person of the board's intention to offer or not to offer the person a new employment contract. If the board decides to offer the superintendent a new employment contract, the board shall offer the new employment contract on or before May 15 preceding the expiration of the superintendent's current employment contract. If the board decides to offer a new employment contract to a person contracted pursuant to this section, the superintendent, acting on behalf of the board, shall offer the new employment contract on or before May 15 preceding the expiration of the current employment contract. The person offered a contract pursuant to this subsection shall accept the contract by signing and returning it to the board within thirty days, or the offer is deemed refused.  If the person adds written terms or conditions to the employment contract offered, the person fails to accept the employment contract.

E. Notice of the board of directors' intention not to reemploy the superintendent or a person contracted pursuant to this section shall be delivered to the superintendent or the person contracted by one of the following:

1. The superintendent, in person, acting on behalf of the board.

2. Certified mail, postmarked on or before the deadline prescribed in subsection D of this section and directed to the place of residence as recorded in the agency's records.