Reductions-in-Force FAQ

Below, please find the most Frequently Asked Question regarding Reductions-in-Force

Q: What is a Reduction-in-Force?

A: A Reduction-in-Force results from a budgetary decision to reduce a particular tenure area or position within a school.

First, the principal must canvass the building for volunteers to accept a reduction-in-force. If there are no volunteers, the teacher with the lowest BTF Contractual Seniority in the reduced tenure area will be involuntarily transferred from the building and included in the transfer process.

BTF Contractual Seniority is the total number of consecutive years a teacher has been employed by the Buffalo Public Schools since probationary appointment, regardless of time spent in a particular tenure area. See “Types of Seniority” tab for further information.

Q: What happens if I am reduced out of my current position?

A: In the event of a Reduction-in-Force where there are no volunteers, the teacher with the lowest BTF Contractual Seniority will be involuntarily transferred from the building.

The involuntarily-transferred teacher will remain a district employee entitled to all benefits of employment. They will be added to the transfer list at the end of the school year and have the opportunity to select a new position in order of BTF Contractual Seniority.

Q: Is a Reduction-in-Force the same as a Layoff?

A: No. A layoff results in the loss of employment from the district. A Reduction-in-Force results in the loss of position within a particular building, but not a loss of district employment.

Q: Are BTF Delegates protected from Reductions-in-Force?

A: Potentially but it depends on what type of delegate, when they were elected, and when the Reduction-in-Force takes place.

For a Reduction-in-Force which happen in the middle of a school year, all building committee members (includes the Delegate Chair) and two additional delegates with the most BTF Contractual Seniority, in office at the time the transfer is set to take place, shall be the last persons considered for an involuntary transfer regardless of their seniority. Article XIV(G).

For a Reduction-in-Force which will be effective after the end of the school year and starting the next school year, all building committee members (includes the Delegate Chair) and two additional delegates with the most BTF Contractual Seniority, who served in that capacity prior to the BTF building election at the end of the school year, shall be the last persons considered for an involuntary transfer regardless of their seniority. Article XIV(G).

Example: Henry is a reading teacher and has been an elected building committee member at Sunshine School for school three years.

Isabella is also a reading teacher at Sunshine School and has been an alternate for two years. She is not on the building committee.

Jacob (another reading teacher) has concerns that there will be a reduction in force at Sunshine School. He runs for building committee at the end of the school year with the hope of staying at Sunshine School.

Sunshine School has a Reduction of reading teachers for the next school year. Henry would be the last person considered for a reduction because he was already a building committee member. Isabella would not receive transfer protection as she is not a building committee member or one of the two delegates with the greatest BTF Contractual Seniority. Jacob would not receive transfer protection as he was not a building committee member for the current school year.

Q: I was previously tenured in another tenure area and then I changed tenure areas. What does that mean for my seniority in the event of a Reduction-in-Force?

A: If you were previously tenured in the District in a particular area, but you left that tenure area for another tenure area, you have given up tenure in the original area. Should you ever choose to return to the original area, it would be at the District’s discretion to accept you into the original tenure area regardless of prior years in that tenure area.

Note: If you were accepted back into the original tenure area with Buffalo Public Schools and you had previously achieved tenure in that area with Buffalo Public Schools, you would be entitled to a shortened probationary term of three years instead of four years.

If there is a Reduction-in-Force in a building, the teacher with the lowest BTF Contractual Seniority in the reduced tenure area will be involuntarily transferred from the building and included in the transfer process.

BTF Contractual Seniority is the total number of consecutive years a teacher has been employed by the Buffalo Public Schools since probationary appointment, regardless of time spent in a particular tenure area. A maximum of two years of temporary time would count towards BTF Contractual Seniority if that service counted toward the completion of one’s probationary appointment. See “Types of Seniority” tab for further information.

As such, the number of years you have spent in your current tenure area is not the metric by which you are reduced in force.

Example: Edith has worked as a teacher with Buffalo Public Schools for 6 years. She first earned tenure as an elementary education teacher after 4 years. She then applied for and was accepted as a special education teacher. She has been a SPED teacher for 2 years.

Francis has worked for Buffalo Public Schools for 3 years as a SPED teacher and works in the same building as Edith.

If there was a Reduction-in-Force in the building, Francis would be reduced from the building before Edith. Edith has 6 years of BTF Contractual Seniority. Francis has 3 years BTF Contractual Seniority.