About the Board
The Fair Dismissal Appeals Board consists of 24 members appointed from specific categories: six public school administrators, six contract teachers, six school board members, six must have no occupational affiliation with a school district. Each category must be further distributed by size of school district. One member from the Administrator and Teacher categories may be retired if the member was previously employed as an administrator or a contract teacher.
Members serve a term of four years but also serve “at the pleasure” of the Governor. An individual member’s term continues to the completion of an appeal, including a motion for reconsideration.
The board meets annually in October. The meeting is subject to the Public Meeting law and is open to the public. At the meeting the board selects one of its members as chairperson and another as vice-chairperson.
Recruitment
We are actively looking for applicants to apply
for the Fair Dismissal Appeals Board (FDAB) in the teacher and school
board member category. The application process is the same application
process for all Oregon State Boards and Commissions and is set out on Governor Kotek’s
webpage.
The Work of the Board:
- Annual Meeting: The board meets annually in October. This meeting typically lasts 2-3 hours and is held virtually. The board votes for the vice chair and hears informational updates from staff.
- Ongoing Training: Board members are required to complete annual training relating to discrimination, professional workplace behavior, and information security. This is generally about 2 hours total and is completed virtually.
- Sitting on a Panel: Members are called to serve when an appeal is filed.
- When an appeal is filed, the FDAB must convene a three-member panel to hear the appeal. ODE staff will reach out to board members and ask for volunteers for the panel.
- If a member is selected for a panel, the member can expect the following workload: Reviewing and providing feedback on any pre-hearing motions, travel to and from the hearing location, participating in the hearing (generally 2 days), and reviewing and approving the proposed final order that is drafted by DOJ.
Board Support:
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) provides administrative support for the FDAB and provides the support necessary to conduct an administrative hearing. Emily Nazarov, Government and Legal Affairs Manager, currently serves as the Executive Secretary for the Board. Sarah Arbuckle provides administrative support.
The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) provides legal counsel to the board. Panel counsel is present with panel members at hearings, makes recommendations on rulings, and drafts all orders for the panel's review and approval.