How can I get out of my contract?

Teachers may want to get out of their contracts for a variety of reasons, but there could be consequences. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions:

Q: If I sign a contract with the school where I am teaching for next year and a teaching job comes up somewhere else can I get out of my contract?

A: Only if the school board of your current district agrees to release you, in writing, from the contract. It may agree to do so, but attach conditions, such as finding a suitable replacement and you paying the costs of advertising, or it may not agree at all. Even if it will release you upon finding a suitable replacement, the board is under no legal obligation to search for one.

Q: Can the superintendent try to have my teaching license revoked if I leave without a release?

A: Yes. The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (BEE) has a specific criterion of professional practice which essentially states "Thou shalt honor thy contracts." Failure to do so can result in the district filing a complaint with the BEE. Possible sanctions by the BEE include reprimand, or a suspension or revocation of the teacher's license.

Q: Can the district let some teachers out of their contracts and not others?

A: Yes, as long as they do not discriminate for an impermissible reason such as age, sex, disability, religion, or race. They may discriminate for other reasons such as not being able to find a suitable replacement, the desire to retain a particular teacher due to his or her skills, or really any other reason not specifically proscribed by law.

Q: If the district has released teachers from their contracts in the past can they stop now?

A: Yes. There is no obligation to release the teacher. Many districts have released teachers in the past and are now changing that practice due to the teacher shortage. Since resignation and release are not subjects of collective bargaining contracts, no prior practice of the district would bind the district to continue it.

CAUTION: Once you sign a contract for the following year, you had better be prepared to honor it unless you can get a release from the contract. Nothing obligates the district to release you.

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