§ 22-60.5-112.5 — National credential - fee assistance - one-time payments

Colorado § 22-60.5-112.5

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 22: Education
• Art.: Colorado Educator Licensing Act

Text

(1)
(a) For the 2002-03 budget year, the 2004-05 budget year, and each budget year
thereafter, subject to available appropriations, the department of education shall
assist persons who are seeking national credentials by paying a portion of the fees
charged for such national credential. The general assembly shall annually
appropriate, if available, moneys from the state education fund, created in section
17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution, to the department of education to be
used for the purposes of this section. Fee assistance pursuant to this section shall
be available to any person who:

(I) Is seeking a national credential from an approved professional
organization as a requirement for or in the course of obtaining master teacher
certification pursuant to this article;

(II) Repealed.

(III) Is employed as a teacher in a public school or an approved facility
school, as defined in section 22-2-402 (1), in this state at the time of applying for
fee assistance pursuant to this section; and

(IV) Applies for national credential fee assistance as provided in this section.

(b) Repealed.

(2) (a) To apply for national credential fee assistance pursuant to this
section, a person shall present to the department of education the following items:

(I) Proof that the person has begun the process to obtain the national
credential and identification of the national credential program in which the person
will participate to obtain the national credential;

(II) Proof that the person has received or will receive national credential fee
assistance through a federal assistance program and the amount of such
assistance; and

(III) Proof that the person is employed as a teacher at a public school or an
approved facility school, as defined in section 22-2-402 (1), in this state at the time
of applying for national credential fee assistance.

(b) Following receipt of the items specified in paragraph (a) of this
subsection (2) and verification that the person meets the criteria specified in
subsection (1) of this section, the department of education shall forward the fee
assistance to the identified national credential program on behalf of the person in
the amount specified in subsection (1) of this section. The fee assistance shall be
paid out of moneys appropriated to the department of education pursuant to
paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section.

(c) If a person who receives fee assistance pursuant to this section does not
complete the national credential program for which he or she received such
assistance, the national credential program shall refund to the department of
education the amount of fee assistance paid on behalf of said person.

(3) (a) The state board of education shall promulgate rules as necessary for
the implementation of this section, including but not limited to a rule identifying
those nationally recognized professional credentialing organizations that are
approved for purposes of this section.

(b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2006, p. 677, � 18, effective April 28, 2006.)

(4) (a) The general assembly recognizes that, to obtain a national credential
from an approved professional organization, a teacher must demonstrate
excellence in teaching skills and achieve a very high level of performance. The
general assembly further recognizes that incentives to encourage teachers to
obtain national credentialing will benefit the students of Colorado by encouraging
teachers to achieve higher levels of performance. Therefore, the general assembly
hereby finds that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution,
providing national credential fee assistance to teachers who obtain a national
credential from an approved professional organization constitutes a performance
incentive for teachers and such teachers may therefore receive funding from the
state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.

(b) Repealed.

(5) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) Approved professional organization means a nationally recognized
professional credentialing organization that is approved by rule of the state board
of education.

(b) National credential means a certification or other form of registration or
credential issued by a nationally recognized professional credentialing
organization. National credential shall include, but need not be limited to,
certification by the national board for professional teaching standards.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2002: Entire section added, p. 1791, � 55, effective June 7. L. 2003: IP(1)(a) amended, p. 2136, � 33, effective May 22. L. 2006: IP(1)(a), (2)(b), (3)(b), and (4)(b) amended, p. 677, � 18, effective April 28. L. 2008: (1)(a)(II) and (1)(b) repealed, p. 1217, � 30, effective May 22; (1)(a)(III) and (2)(a)(III) amended, p. 1405, � 53, effective May 27.