| ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS |
| Eligibility Statement |
Change in Status Form (withdrawal/leave of absence) |
Teachers who have one (1) or more years of teaching experience, have at least a 2/5ths contract, and spend at least 50% of their contract time with students are eligible for Career Ladder candidacy. A teacher with no prior experience as recognized by the district will be placed at the Residency Module. A teacher with district recognized prior experience will be placed at the Entry to Instructional Skills Module.
Beginning in 2000-01, all teachers new to the Amphitheater District will, following their Career Ladder resident year, be evaluated for placement on Career Ladder pursuant to Arizona Career Ladder legislation. In the evaluation/qualifying year, teachers will be placed at the Entry to Instructional Skills Module. After successfully meeting program expectations, teachers may elect to continue participation and be placed on the ladder the following year, and begin receiving Career Ladder compensation. If a teacher does not elect placement on Career Ladder, s/he will be compensated on the traditional salary schedule.
CAREER LADDER PLACEMENT
To be placed on Career Ladder, the participant must meet the appropriate pre-requisite criteria and successfully complete the initial placement process. Once placed on the Career Ladder compensation system, a teacher must successfully meet the annual module requirements while also maintaining district acceptable ratings on the Amphitheater Teacher (Librarian, Counselor) Performance Evaluation System (A.T.P.E.S.).
CAREER LADDER COMPENSATION
A teacher's participation in the program at the Entry To Instructional Skills level is considered a qualifying year. If a teacher successfully meets Amphitheater Teacher (Librarian, Counselor) Performance Evaluation System and Career Ladder program expectations, s/he is placed on the Career Ladder compensation system at the beginning of the succeeding school year. Once placed on the Career Ladder compensation system, a teacher must meet Career Ladder program expectations and receive acceptable district ratings on the Amphitheater Teacher (Librarian, Counselor) Performance Evaluation System to continue to be compensated. If a teacher receives Unsatisfactory rating(s) (U), on the final formal evaluation, the teacher will be observed by three evaluators (the administrator, and two peer evaluators) the following year with two (2) weeks in the fall and two (2) weeks in the spring. If the Unsatisfactory rating(s) is not remediated by the end of the year, the teacher will be placed on the traditional salary schedule. Teachers who leave the Amphitheater School District are not eligible for compensation the following year. Teachers who have short-term contract status and who are not re-hired are not eligible for compensation the following year. Teachers who retire from the district after meeting all program requirements and return as Amphitheater employees may participate in Career Ladder. Teachers who are not employed by Amphitheater Public Schools are not eligible for Career Ladder.
LEAVES OF ABSENCE FROM CAREER LADDER
Sabbaticals
A teacher taking a sabbatical of no more than one year at a time from the Amphitheater District, will, upon his/her return, be placed at the phase commensurate with the phase at which s/he was placed at the end of the year prior to the sabbatical.
Leaves of Absence from Teaching
A teacher taking an approved leave of absence from teaching of no more than one year at a time, will, upon his/her return, be placed at the phase commensurate with the phase at which s/he was placed in the school year preceding the leave of absence. After the leave has been approved by the district, a teacher must notify the Career Ladder office in writing.
Leaves of Absence from Career Ladder
A teacher choosing to take a leave of absence from Career Ladder must submit written notification to the Career Ladder office stating his/her wishes. Career Ladder monies will cease immediately upon receiving this written notification. Requests for a Leave of Absence from Career Ladder must be submitted no later than 12 weeks from the beginning of the school year, except for medical emergencies. A teacher taking a leave of absence from Career Ladder, but who is still teaching in the district, will, upon his/her return, be placed at the phase commensurate with the phase at which s/he was placed in the year preceding the leave of absence.
WITHDRAWAL FROM CAREER LADDER
Withdrawal from Career Ladder - Career Ladder Teachers
A teacher may choose to withdraw from the Career Ladder program at any time; however, all Career Ladder compensation will cease to be paid and traditional salary will apply. To exit the Career Ladder program, a teacher must notify the Career Ladder office in writing. All evaluation documents will remain in a teacher's cumulative file.
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