Substitute Bill No. 1371 seeks to reform the teacher termination process by establishing a just cause standard for the termination of both tenured and non-tenured teachers. The bill introduces new provisions that require written notice of nonrenewal for non-tenured teachers by May 1 and allows them to contest termination or nonrenewal through a structured hearing process. Tenured teachers can only be terminated for specific reasons, such as inefficiency or moral misconduct, and the previous stipulation that a board of education could only rescind a nonrenewal decision if deemed arbitrary and capricious has been removed. The bill also mandates that termination hearings be conducted by a neutral hearing officer, with hearings commencing within fifteen calendar days of a request.

Furthermore, the bill grants superintendents the authority to suspend teachers for serious misconduct while preserving their rights. It establishes an appeal process to the Superior Court for teachers aggrieved by decisions made by a board of education or hearing officer, requiring a complete transcript of the hearing proceedings and related board meeting minutes to be submitted to the court. The court will review these materials and can affirm or reverse decisions based on legal standards, with costs imposed on the board of education only in cases of gross negligence, bad faith, or malice. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and amends sections 10-151(c) to (e) of current law.