EMPLOYMENT POLICY.

(a) The board of trustees of each independent school district shall adopt a policy providing for the employment and duties of district personnel. The employment policy must provide that:

(1) the board employs and evaluates the superintendent;

(2) the superintendent has sole authority to make recommendations to the board regarding the selection of all personnel other than the superintendent, except that the board may delegate final authority for those decisions to the superintendent; and

(3) each principal must approve each teacher or staff appointment to the principal's campus as provided by Section 11.202.

(b) The board of trustees may accept or reject the superintendent's recommendation regarding the selection of district personnel and shall include the board's acceptance or rejection in the minutes of the board's meeting, as required under Section 551.021, Government Code, in the certified agenda or tape recording required under Section 551.103, Government Code, or in the recording required under Section 551.125 or 551.127, Government Code, as applicable. If the board rejects the superintendent's recommendation, the superintendent shall make alternative recommendations until the board accepts a recommendation.

(c) The employment policy may:

(1) specify the terms of employment with the district;

(2) delegate to the superintendent the authority to determine the terms of employment with the district; or

(3) include a provision for providing each current district employee with an opportunity to participate in a process for transferring to another school in or position with the district.

(d) The employment policy must provide that not later than the fifth school day before the date on which a district fills a vacant position for which a certificate or license is required as provided by Section 21.003, other than a position that affects the safety and security of students as determined by the board of trustees, the district must provide to each current district employee:

(1) notice of the position by posting the position on:

(A) a bulletin board at:

(i) a place convenient to the public in the district's central administrative office; and

(ii) the central administrative office of each campus in the district during any time the office is open; or

(B) the district's Internet website, if the district has a website; and

(2) a reasonable opportunity to apply for the position.

(e) If, during the school year, the district must fill a vacant position held by a teacher, as defined by Section 21.201, in less than five school days, the district:

(1) must provide notice of the position in the manner described by Subsection (d)(1) as soon as possible after the vacancy occurs;

(2) is not required to provide the notice for five school days before filling the position; and

(3) is not required to comply with Subsection (d)(2).

(f) If, under the employment policy, the board of trustees delegates to the superintendent the final authority to select district personnel:

(1) the superintendent is a public official for purposes of Chapter 573, Government Code, only with respect to a decision made under that delegation of authority; and

(2) each member of the board of trustees remains subject to Chapter 573, Government Code, with respect to all district employees.

(g) Subsection (f) does not apply to a school district that is located:

(1) wholly in a county with a population of less than 35,000; or

(2) in more than one county, if the county in which the largest portion of the district territory is located has a population of less than 35,000.

(h) For purposes of Subsection (f), a person hired by a school district before September 1, 2007, is considered to have been in continuous employment as provided by Section 573.062(a), Government Code, and is not prohibited from continuing employment with the district subject to the restrictions of Section 573.062(b), Government Code.

(i) The employment policy must provide each school district employee with the right to present grievances to the district board of trustees.

(j) The employment policy may not restrict the ability of a school district employee to communicate directly with a member of the board of trustees regarding a matter relating to the operation of the district, except that the policy may prohibit ex parte communication relating to:

(1) a hearing under Subchapter E or F, Chapter 21; and

(2) another appeal or hearing in which ex parte communication would be inappropriate pending a final decision by a school district board of trustees.

(k) A school district shall post on the district's Internet website, if the district has a website, the employment policy adopted by the district's board of trustees under Subsection (a) and the full text of any regulations referenced in the policy. A school district shall make available any forms referenced in the policy:

(1) on an intranet website that is maintained by the district and accessible to district employees; or

(2) if the district does not maintain an intranet website described by Subdivision (1), at a district administrative office designated by the district.

(l) The employment policy must provide that for purposes of determining the amount of a reduction in the salary of a classroom teacher, full-time counselor, or full-time librarian for unpaid leave, the employee's daily rate of pay is computed by dividing the employee's annual salary by the number of days the employee is expected to work for that school year.