Education officials dispute this, saying they scaled back the proposal because it might run counter to laws about dismissing teachers.

First, there are other mechanisms in place to dismiss teachers of lesser quality.

On tenure, the city has long had the ability to dismiss teachers during a three-year probationary period.

The agreement would also make it easier for the school system to dismiss incompetent teachers, after offering help to improve their teaching.

The calls, at the beginning of classes, led officials to empty the school and later dismiss more than 1,000 students, teachers and staff members.

He is the only official under New Jersey's teacher-tenure law with the authority to dismiss teachers for other than economic reasons.

School and union officials said yesterday that one provision of the pact will make it easier to dismiss teachers.

For example, if an department is eliminated for financial reasons, a university has the right to dismiss teachers from that department.

The council will hire the principal, set the budget and have the authority to dismiss incompetent teachers on 45 days notice.

A Mayor must choose sometimes among hiring more police officers, dismissing teachers and improving library services.