Tenure status often provides the broadest protections for teachers at the K-12 level and for professors at the higher education level.
At the K-12 level, tenure laws prevent a school district from dismissing a tenured teacher without good reason.
These protections are not available to all educators—tenure is generally limited to teachers, and only teachers who have worked in the school district for a certain number of years are eligible. In addition, tenured teachers generally cannot transfer these protections to a new district if they change schools.
A few states, as detailed below, have largely eliminated tenure protections. The following describes how state tenure laws work.
This page is intended to provide general information. For specific advice, you should always contact your local union or attorney.
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