EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Section 1. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general

1-2 fund to the Department of Education the sum of $20,000 for reimbursement

1-3 of certain costs of public school teachers related to acquiring certification

1-4 by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

1-5 2. If a public school teacher desires to obtain reimbursement from the

1-6 Department of Education for the costs that will be incurred in acquiring

1-7 certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the

1-8 teacher shall file a statement of intended certification with the school district

1-9 or the governing body of the charter school by whom he is employed. The

1-10 statement must be filed at least 1 year before the teacher reasonably believes

1-11 that he will acquire the certification. Upon receipt of such a statement, the

1-12 school district or governing body shall forward a copy of the statement to

1-13 the Department of Education.

2-1 3. Upon certification, a public school teacher who has filed such a

2-2 statement may request reimbursement by submitting to the school district or

2-3 the governing body of the charter school by whom he is employed:

2-4 (a) A written statement indicating that the teacher understands that if he

2-5 does not teach in a public school in this state, including, without limitation,

2-6 a charter school, for at least 2 years after the date on which he receives the

2-7 reimbursement, he will be required to repay the reimbursement to the

2-8 Department of Education;

2-9 (b) Proof that he has acquired the certification; and

2-10 (c) A statement of the costs incurred by the teacher in acquiring the

2-11 certification.

2-12 4. A school district or the governing body of a charter school shall

2-13 verify the certification and the statement of costs submitted by a teacher

2-14 pursuant to subsection 3. Upon verification, the school district or governing

2-15 body shall notify the Department of Education of the certification and the

2-16 amount of verified costs and shall request the Department to reimburse the

2-17 teacher. Upon receipt of such a request, the Department shall cause the

2-18 teacher to be reimbursed if the teacher agrees to teach in a public school in

2-19 this state, including, without limitation, a charter school, for at least 2 years

2-20 after the date on which he receives the reimbursement. Such a

2-21 reimbursement must not exceed an amount equal to the actual verified costs

2-22 incurred by the teacher or $2,000, whichever is less, to the extent that

2-23 money is available from the appropriation made by subsection 1 for this

2-24 purpose or other sources.

2-25 5. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, if a teacher who

2-26 receives a reimbursement pursuant to this section does not teach in a public

2-27 school in this state, including, without limitation, a charter school, for at

2-28 least 2 years after the date on which he received the reimbursement, the

2-29 teacher shall repay the full amount of the reimbursement to the Department

2-30 of Education. The teacher may request that the Department of Education

2-31 grant a waiver from the repayment required by this subsection. The

2-32 Department of Education may grant a wavier if the Department determines

2-33 that the teacher suffers from a hardship that warrants a waiver. The

2-34 Department of Education shall prescribe the procedures for the repayment

2-35 required by this subsection and the procedures for a teacher to request a

2-36 waiver from the repayment. The Department of Education shall use any

2-37 money that it receives pursuant to this subsection to reimburse the costs of

2-38 other teachers who acquire certification by the National Board of

2-39 Professional Teaching Standards.

2-40 6. The Department of Education shall not reimburse costs related to

2-41 certification acquired by a teacher before July 1, 1999.

2-42 Sec. 2. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection

2-43 1 of section 1 of this act must not be committed for expenditure after June

3-1 30, 2001, and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of

3-2 money committed have been made.

3-3 Sec. 3. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.