Written by MSTA staff attorney Hank Jenkins in March 2026
As a kid growing up in Oklahoma, there were certain dates that always stuck out in my mind: Dec. 25, Christmas Day, was an obvious one that became familiar as I would count down the days until Santa would somehow find his way to our rural house in the country; Oct. 31, Halloween, became a favorite of mine as I would spend months planning out what costume I wanted to wear that year for the annual elementary school Halloween parade; as I got older, other dates became lodged in my memory because of their importance in my life: my wedding anniversary, the beginning of football season, and the all-important Tax Day on April 15.
In the world of Missouri public school education, April 15 holds additional significance as it marks the peak of another important season: contract renewal season. Schools must notify probationary teachers on or before April 15 if they plan to non-renew their contract. After this deadline, if the district has not notified the teacher in writing that they are being non-renewed, the district must reemploy that teacher for the following year.
Some school districts give probationary teachers a chance to resign, effective at the end of the school year, rather than being non-renewed. If given this option, it's important for members to contact MSTA so you can be guided through this decision. Once a teacher resigns from their position, their options are limited if they actually want to return to the school district for another year.
Another important date to remember in contract renewal season is May 15. This is the date by which school districts must present returning teachers with a physical contract for the following year. However, school districts may present a teacher with a contract at any time prior to that date. Once a contract is submitted to a teacher, they then have 15 days to sign and return that contract to the district. This means you have time to consider and think about what is in that contract. You cannot be forced to sign the contract as soon as you are presented with it. But, it is also important to remember that if you get past those 15 days without signing, it is assumed that you are rejecting the contract.
As a reminder, probationary teachers are employed by districts on one-year contracts, which can be non-renewed by that magical date of April 15 for any reason, barring it does not constitute discrimination or retaliation. If a probationary teacher has worked within a district for five successive years, they will become tenured at the beginning of their sixth contract year with the district. Alternatively, if a teacher previously worked in a district for two or more successive years and then has completed four successive years in a new district, they would become tenured on the first day of their fifth contract year in that new district.
Tenured teachers do not have to worry about that April 15 deadline because they have an indefinite contract with the district. However, they have an important deadline to remember of their own. June 1is the day by which a tenured teacher must notify the district if they do not plan on returning for the following year, whether they plan on retiring, or if they are changing districts or changing careers. Once June 1 passes, tenured teachers are in a binding contract for another full school year.
As always, if you have questions or concerns about what contract renewal season means for you, please contact the MSTA Legal Services Department at 866-343-6186.