72-1398. National board for professional teaching standards certification incentive program.
72-1398
72-1398. National board for professional teachingstandards certification incentive program.(a) The national board for professional teaching standardscertification incentive program is hereby established for the purpose ofrewarding teachers who have attained certification from the national board.Teachers who have attained certification from the national board shall beissued a master teacher's license by the state boardof education. A masterteacher's license shall be valid for 10 years andrenewable thereafterevery 10 years through compliance with continuing education and professionaldevelopment requirements prescribed by the state board. Teachers who haveattained certification from the national board and who are employed by a schooldistrict shall be paid an incentive bonus in the amount of $1,000 each schoolyear that the teacher remains employed by aschooldistrict and retains a valid master teacher'slicense.
(b) The board of education of each school district employing one or morenational board certified teachers shall pay the incentive bonus to each suchteacher in each school year that the teacher retains eligibility for suchpayment. Each board of education which has made payments of incentive bonusesto national board certified teachers under this subsection may file anapplication with the state board of education for state aid and shall certifyto the state board the amount of such payments. The application andcertification shall be on a form prescribed and furnished by the state board,shall contain such information as the state board shall require and shall befiled at the time specified by the state board.
(c) In each school year, each school district employing one or more nationalboard certified teachers is entitled to receive from appropriations for thenational board for professional teaching standards certification incentiveprogram an amount which is equal to the amount certified to the state board ofeducation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b). The state boardshall certify to the director of accounts and reports the amount due eachschool district. The director of accounts and reports shall draw warrants onthe state treasurer payable to the treasurer of each school district entitledto payment under this section upon vouchers approved by the state board.
(d) Moneys received by a board of education under this section shall bedeposited in the general fund of the school district and shallbe consideredreimbursements to the district for the purpose of the school district financeand quality performance act and may be expended whether the same have beenbudgeted or not.
(e) The state board of education is authorized to provide scholarships of$1,100 each to teachers who are accepted to participate in the national boardfor professional teaching standards program for initial certification. Thestateboard of education is authorized to provide scholarships of $500 each toteachers who are accepted to participate in the national board for professionalteaching standards program for renewal of certification. Any teacher who hasbeen accepted to participate in such program may file an application with thestate board of education for a scholarship. The application shall be on a formprescribed and furnished by the state board, shall contain such information asthe state board shall require and shall be filed at the time specified by thestate board.
(f) As used in this section, the term school district meansany schooldistrict organized and operating under the laws of this state.
History: L. 2000, ch. 138, § 2;L. 2005, ch. 158, § 10; July 1.