Messages on Teacher Tenure

No teacher is guaranteed a job for life.

• Every state's tenure law permits a school to dismiss teachers who are incompetent of willfully neglect their duty.
• Tenure laws simply spell out the reasons for which a teacher may be dismissed—and the process for dismissal.
• Tenure laws were passed to protect teachers from nepotism and political favoritism.
• Before being granted tenure, teachers must serve a probationary period of three years before they have any fair dismissal rights.  During that period they can be dismissed with no reason given.

The real issue is getting more good people to enter and stay in the teaching profession.

• NEA-Alaska is involved in a wide range issues to address teacher quality.
  • Recruitment
  • Strengthening preparation programs and entry standards
  • Expanding access to induction and mentoring programs
  • Improving evaluation
  • Addressing compensation
  • Helping more teachers attain certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
• Effective recruitment, preparation, licensure and hiring—followed by performance-based evaluation and career-long professional development—are the surest means of maintaining teacher quality.

Tenure prevents bad things from happening to good teachers.

• Everyone wants talented, creative, inspiring teachers in our classrooms.
• Eliminating tenure would have a chilling effect on teachers' willingness to take risks or “think outside the box.”  So the very best teaching would wither & die.
• We too want “bad teachers” out of our profession. NEA-Alaska doesn't protect bad teachers.  We do defend the right of all teachers to be treated fairly.

More information: