(b) At the expiration of the probationary term of a person appointed for such term on or after July first, two thousand fifteen, subject to the conditions of this section, the superintendent of schools shall make a written report to the board of education or the trustees of a common school district recommending for appointment on tenure those persons who have been found competent, efficient and satisfactory and, in the case of a classroom teacher or building principal, who have received composite annual professional performance review ratings pursuant to section three thousand twelve-c or section three thousand twelve-d of this article, of either effective or highly effective in at least three of the four preceding years, exclusive of any breaks in service; provided that in the case of a classroom teacher or building principal appointed during the two thousand seventeen--two thousand eighteen or two thousand twenty--two thousand twenty-one school year, who have received composite annual professional performance review ratings pursuant to section three thousand twelve-c or section three thousand twelve-d of this article, of either effective or highly effective in at least one of the four preceding years, exclusive of any breaks in service, and did not receive an ineffective rating in the final year of his or her probationary period, or during the most recent school year where a rating was received, and would have been in the superintendent of schools' discretion qualified for appointment on tenure based upon performance, notwithstanding that his or her annual professional performance review had not been completed and he or she had not received an annual professional performance rating for the two thousand nineteen--two thousand twenty , two thousand twenty--two thousand twenty-one or the two thousand twenty-one--two thousand twenty-two school year; provided that, in the case of a classroom teacher or building principal appointed during the two thousand eighteen--two thousand nineteen or two thousand nineteen--two thousand twenty school year, who has not received composite annual professional performance review ratings pursuant to section three thousand twelve-c or section three thousand twelve-d of this article for three consecutive years, no ratings shall be required for the superintendent of schools to recommend for appointment on tenure such teacher or building principal if the teacher or principal would have been, in the superintendent of schools' discretion, qualified for appointment on tenure based upon performance, notwithstanding that his or her annual professional performance review had not been completed and he or she had not received an annual professional performance review rating for the two thousand nineteen--two thousand twenty, two thousand twenty--two thousand twenty-one and two thousand twenty-one--two thousand twenty-two school years; provided that in the case of a classroom teacher or building principal appointed during the two thousand twenty-one--two thousand twenty-two school year who have received composite annual professional performance review ratings pursuant to section three thousand twelve-c or section three thousand twelve-d of this article of either effective or highly effective in at least two of the four preceding years, exclusive of any breaks in service, and did not receive an ineffective rating in the final year of his or her probationary period, or during the most recent school year where a rating was received, and would have been in the superintendent of schools' discretion qualified for appointment on tenure based upon performance, notwithstanding that his or her annual professional performance review had not been completed and he or she had not received an annual professional performance rating for the two thousand twenty--two thousand twenty-one or two thousand twenty-one--two thousand twenty-two school year; provided further that, notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, when a teacher or principal receives an effective or highly effective rating in each year of his or her probationary service except he or she receives an ineffective rating in the final year of his or her probationary period, such teacher shall not be eligible for tenure but the board of education, in its discretion, may extend the teacher's probationary period for an additional year; provided, however, that if such teacher or principal successfully appealed such ineffective rating, such teacher or principal shall immediately be eligible for tenure if the rating resulting from the appeal established that such individual has been effective or highly effective in at least three of the preceding four years and was not ineffective in the final year. At the expiration of the probationary period, the classroom teacher or building principal shall remain in probationary status until the end of the school year in which such teacher or principal has received such ratings of effective or highly effective for at least three of the four preceding school years, exclusive of any breaks in service, and subject to the terms hereof, during which time the trustees or board of education shall consider whether to grant tenure for those classroom teachers or building principals who otherwise have been found competent, efficient and satisfactory. Provided, however, that the trustees or board of education may grant tenure contingent upon a classroom teacher's or building principal's receipt of a minimum rating in the final year of the probationary period, pursuant to the requirements of this section, and if such contingency is not met after all appeals have been exhausted, the grant of tenure shall be void and unenforceable and the teacher's or principal's probationary period may be extended in accordance with this subdivision. Such persons who have been recommended for tenure and all others employed in the teaching service of the schools of such school district who have served the full probationary period as extended pursuant to this subdivision shall hold their respective positions during good behavior and efficient and competent service, and shall not be removable except for cause after a hearing as provided by section three thousand twenty-a or section three thousand twenty-b of this article. Failure to maintain certification as required by this chapter and the regulations of the commissioner shall constitute cause for removal.