Gary Grounds, Petitioner v. Tolar Independent School District, Respondent

Summary

The Texas Supreme Court held that the Term Contract Nonrenewal Act creates a constitutionally protected property interest for teachers in the renewal of their term contracts, that the District’s failure to provide notice and a hearing violated Grounds’ Fourteenth Amendment due process rights, and that the Act does not extend that property interest to a coaching position. The Court reversed the Court of Appeals and remanded for further consideration of damages and attorney’s fees.