SALISBURY — The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education spent most of its Monday business meeting wrestling with new state requirements for teacher contracts.

In 2013, the N.C. General Assembly passed legislation that no teacher should be granted career status after June 30 of that year.

“Teachers who were on a career contract will keep their career status. However, everyone else will have the opportunity to be offered a different type of contract,” Kristi Rhone, director of human resources, told the board Monday.

In the past, career status was granted to exceptional teachers who worked in the same district for four years. That prevented teachers from being unfairly fired or demoted.

Since 2013, noncareer-status teachers have been able to secure only one-year contracts with districts across the state — but that may be changing. School boards were directed to come up with an alternative way of awarding contracts by June 30.

While districts are still forbidden to award career status, the new policy does give them an opportunity to offer teachers a more stable contract.

After discussions with staff members and teachers, Rhone’s recommendation was that after three years, teachers could be offered a two- or four-year contract if they met certain qualifications. To be awarded a two-year contract, a teacher would need to achieve “proficient” on end-of-the-year evaluations in classroom and school leadership, as well as in content facilitation. Teachers rated “accomplished” could get a four-year contract.

The teacher should also participate in professional development and must not be on a conduct-improvement plan.

Board member Jean Kennedy asked if Rhone could expand on the employee conduct requirement.

“I would like some more specificity there,” she said.

According to Rhone, to achieve more than a one-year contract, teachers must not misbehave, show misconduct, violate board policy or commit an error that would give the district legal grounds for dismissal.

Board member Richard Miller wanted to know how staff members would ensure consistent and unbiased evaluations, if year-end ratings are conducted by school principals.

“What efforts are we taking to make sure the evaluators are schooled in what that looks like or what that means?” he asked.

Rhone said administrators have been trained in ratings and in giving evaluations. But she acknowledged that the onus for consistency is on each school.

“So we trust them on that,” she said. “But we could have a reminder or some type of professional development.”

Superintendent Lynn Moody added that while all principals don’t evaluate teachers exactly the same way, if they give a bad evaluation, others — including district personnel — are pulled into the case.

“The principal is not the only one that’ll be making that call,” she said of poor evaluations.

Some board members were not convinced. Dean Hunter said he feels that tying a teacher’s contract to administrator evaluations gives principals too much power.

“I think one thing to keep in mind is that principals have been rating teachers all along,” Rhone said. “The fact that it’s tied to a contract? It’s a little different but it’s nothing new.”

Hunter asked how many current Rowan-Salisbury teachers would qualify for a multiyear contract.

“I would say that a lot of teachers meet those criteria,” Rhone said.

Moody added that she feels the bulk of the district’s teachers would have no difficulty qualifying for a two-year contract as proposed, while a smaller number — including beginning teachers — need to be evaluated yearly.

Four-year contracts would be awarded only to highly qualified teachers, she said.

“We felt like it was a morale booster that you could possibly get a four-year contract — but only the best get a four-year. If there’s something you can work towards, that really is more of an incentive,” she said.

Board members still had some concerns — such as the state’s mandate that student growth percentages be part of the conversation in awarding contracts. The board agreed to bring the issue back for discussion at its Feb. 12 work session.

Contact reporter Rebecca Rider at 704-797-4264.