256.44 - NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION PILOT PROJECT.
256.44 NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION PILOT PROJECT.
1. A national board certification pilot project is established to
be administered by the department of education. A teacher, as
defined in section 272.1, who registers for or achieves national
board for professional teaching standards certification, and who is
employed by a school district in Iowa and receiving a salary as a
classroom teacher, may be eligible for the following:
a. If a teacher registers for national board for professional
teaching standards certification by December 31, 2007, a one-time
initial reimbursement award in the amount of up to one-half of the
registration fee paid by the teacher for registration for
certification by the national board for professional teaching
standards. The teacher shall apply to the department within one year
of registration, submitting to the department any documentation the
department requires. A teacher who receives an initial reimbursement
award shall receive a one-time final registration award in the amount
of the remaining national board registration fee paid by the teacher
if the teacher notifies the department of the teacher's certification
achievement and submits any documentation requested by the
department.
b. (1) (a) If, by May 1, 2000, the teacher applies to the
department for an annual award and submits documentation of
certification by the national board for professional teaching
standards, an annual award in the amount of five thousand dollars.
However, if the teacher does not achieve certification on the
teacher's first attempt to pass the national board for professional
teaching standards assessment, the teacher shall be paid the award
amount as provided in subparagraph division (b) upon achieving
certification. The department shall award not more than a total of
fifty thousand dollars in annual awards to an individual during the
individual's term of eligibility for annual awards.
(b) If the teacher registers for national board for professional
teaching standards certification between January 1, 1999, and
December 31, 2007, and achieves certification within the timelines
and policies established by the national board for professional
teaching standards, an annual award in the amount of two thousand
five hundred dollars upon achieving certification by the national
board of professional teaching standards.
(2) To receive an annual award pursuant to this paragraph
"b", a teacher shall apply to the department for an award within
one year of eligibility. Payment for awards shall be made only upon
departmental approval of an application or recertification of
eligibility. A term of eligibility shall be for ten years or for the
years in which the individual maintains a valid certificate,
whichever time period is shorter. In order to continue receipt of
payments, a recipient shall annually recertify eligibility.
2. a. If the amount appropriated annually for purposes of
this section is insufficient to pay the full amount of reimbursement
awards in accordance with subsection 1, paragraph "a", the
department shall annually prorate the amount of the registration
awards provided to each teacher who meets the requirements of this
section.
b. If the amount appropriated annually for purposes of
providing an annual award in accordance with subsection 1, paragraph
"b", is insufficient to pay the full annual award to all teachers
approved by the department for an annual award, the department shall
prorate the amount of the annual award based upon the amount
appropriated.
3. A teacher receiving an annual award pursuant to this section
may provide additional services to the school district that employs
the teacher. The additional services to be provided by the teacher
may be mutually agreed upon by the school district and the teacher.
4. Awards shall be paid to teachers by the department as follows:
a. Upon receipt of reimbursement documentation as provided in
subsection 1, paragraph "a".
b. Not later than June 1 to teachers whose applications and
recertifications for annual awards as provided in subsection 1,
paragraph "b", are submitted to the department by May 1 and
subsequently approved.
5. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, a teacher
approved by the department to receive an annual award for
certification in accordance with this section in the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 1998, shall receive the annual award amount
specified in subsection 1, paragraph "b", subparagraph (1),
subparagraph division (a), to commence with the fiscal year beginning
July 1, 1999.
6. From funds appropriated for purposes of this section by the
general assembly to the department of education for each fiscal year
in the fiscal period beginning July 1, 1999, and ending June 30,
2004, three hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be
necessary, shall be used for the payment of registration awards as
provided in subsection 4, paragraph "a".
7. The department shall prorate the amount of the annual awards
paid in accordance with this section when the number of award
recipients exceeds one thousand one hundred individuals. The
department may prorate the amount of an annual award when a teacher
who meets the qualifications of subsection 1 is employed on a less
than full-time basis by a school district. The state board shall
adopt rules under chapter 17A establishing criteria for the proration
of annual awards.
8. Notwithstanding section 8.33, funds appropriated for purposes
of this section which remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close
of the fiscal year for which the funds were appropriated shall not
revert but shall be available for expenditure for the following
fiscal year for purposes of this section. Section History: Recent Form
98 Acts, ch 1216, §5; 99 Acts, ch 142, §1; 99 Acts, ch 205, §20;
2002 Acts, ch 1152, §3, 4; 2004 Acts, ch 1175, §90; 2005 Acts, ch
169, §20, 21; 2006 Acts, ch 1182, §4; 2007 Acts, ch 108, §6, 7; 2009
Acts, ch 41, §263
Referred to in § 284.7, 284.13