House File 1478 repeals “last in, first out” requirement for unrequested leaves of absence
ST. PAUL, Minn. – On Thursday, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed legislation authored by Representative Jenifer Loon, R-Eden Prairie, that repeals the last in, first out (LIFO) requirement when school districts are forced to reduce staff. By removing this default in state statute, school districts and local bargaining units are open to explore alternative options in addition to seniority, helping keep the best teachers in the classroom. The legislation passed on a vote of 71-59.
“In order to meet our goal of providing a world-class education to every Minnesota student, we must continually bring in new, innovative teachers and keep them in the classroom,” said Rep. Mark Uglem, R-Champlin, a coauthor of the bill. “This legislation will ensure local schools and educators have the ability to negotiate agreements that fully take into account all factors that impact student success when making difficult staffing decisions.”
Currently, Minnesota is one of only six states where seniority is the sole factor in teacher retention decisions. The bill does not discourage seniority to be included as a factor, but opens up negotiations to include teacher effectiveness, evaluations and other criteria.
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