The Tenure Process

The Hastings-on-Hudson School District is committed to recruiting and retaining excellent teachers, and to helping all teachers continuously develop and improve. To do this, the District provides ongoing feedback to both new and experienced teachers so they can reflect on their practice, learn, and make appropriate changes. 

New York State education law requires a three-year probationary period before new teachers are eligible to receive tenure. If a teacher has previously been granted tenure in New York State, the probationary period is two years. During this period, District administrators observe and evaluate all aspects of a probationary teacher's performance including the instruction provided and interactions with colleagues and students.  Teachers are observed and evaluated by team leaders, department chairs, assistant principals, principals, directors, and the superintendent of schools, and they are expected to respond to the feedback from each of these administrators.

As parents, our feedback is also important both before tenure is granted and after.  As you know, we have insights and a perspective that is unavailable from any other source.  The District encourages us to submit comments on teachers when we have firsthand knowledge of their work.  For example, we know whether our own children have the skills they need to complete homework assignments, or whether we understand communications from the teachers.  We can also comment on whether a teacher is accessible when we need to contact him or her.

Tenure recommendations are scheduled for Board of Education approval in the beginning of May.  Any parent who would like to have input into a tenure decision should be submitted a letter by February of the year in which the faculty member is being considered.

For both tenured teachers and newer teachers, information from parents can be extremely helpful.  It is most helpful when it is provided directly to the teacher so that she or he may use it for self-improvement.  Parents can also provide feedback to the department head or team leader, the assistant principal, and/or the principal of their school, so that it can be used to supplement other indicators of teacher performance.   Frequent, open, and on-going communication between parents, the teachers, and the administration is the surest way for us to have a voice in our child’s education.