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