1.A national board certification program is established to be administered by the
department of education. A teacher, as defined in section 256.145, 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 after 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 in a manner and according to procedures required by
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1. A national board certification program is established to be administered by the
department of education. A teacher, as defined in section 256.145, 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 after 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 in a manner and according to procedures required by the department, 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 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), subparagraphdivision(a), tocommencewiththefiscalyear
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.