S2682

An Act encouraging public school teachers to seek certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, supplementing chapter 26 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. There is a growing shortage of well-qualified teachers in the State, particularly in the inner-city school districts;

b. In addition to issues related to recruiting new teachers, it is particularly important to take actions necessary to retain experienced teachers as national data show that the teacher attrition rate in the first five years of teaching is 40--50%;

c. The State currently participates in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards by encouraging experienced teachers to apply for National Board certification and provides financial and other assistance to experienced teachers who agree to seek certification under the national program;

d. Currently, 28 other states also provide an incentive to encourage experienced teachers to seek certification under the national program and of these states, all but three offer a salary increase or some other kind of salary benefit for a teacher upon successful completion of the certification process which benefit is available for the lifetime of the national certificate, 10 years;

e. While New Jersey currently supports teachers in obtaining national certification, it does not provide any salary increase or other benefit upon successful completion; and

f. In accordance with the State's policy of support for enhancing teacher quality in public schools in the State, it is appropriate that the Legislature establish a program to provide a salary benefit to those teachers who are successful in obtaining National Board certification.

2. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, a board of education shall provide a public school teacher who has attained certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards with an annual salary supplement of $1,000 for the life of the certificate. The board of education shall add the salary supplement to the teacher's base salary on the school board's salary schedule and it shall be considered in the calculation for contributions to the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund established pursuant to N.J.S.18A:66-1 et seq.

b. (1) In the case of a teacher who obtained certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards prior to the effective date of this act, the employing board of education shall provide a lump sum bonus payment to the teacher as follows: number of school years the teacher has taught in the district since attainment of National Board certification X $1,000. Any lump sum bonus payment shall not be added to the teacher's base salary or considered in the calculation for contribution to the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund.

(2) In the event that a teacher who has attained National Board certification prior to the effective date of this act was employed in more than one district since attaining certification, the teacher may apply to those districts for payment of the bonus. Upon receipt of the application with proof of the date of National Board certification, the board of education shall, within 30 days, make a lump sum bonus payment pursuant to this subsection.

c. A board of education which provides an annual salary supplement or a lump sum bonus payment to a National Board certified teacher pursuant to this act, may apply to the Department of Education for reimbursement of the amount of that payment. Within 30 days of receipt of the application, the Department of Education shall reimburse the district for any annual salary supplement and lump sum payments made pursuant to this act.

3. The State Board of Education shall adopt regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedures Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the provisions of this act.

4. There is appropriated from the General Fund $500,000 to the Department of Education to be used to reimburse public school districts for annual salary supplements and lump sum payments made pursuant to section 2 of this act.

5. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would provide an annual salary supplement of $1,000 to any public school teacher who attains certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This salary supplement is to be an annual amount paid for the duration of the certification, 10 years. This amount would be paid by the public school district employing the teacher, but the Department of Education would reimburse the district upon receipt of the district's application. Teachers who attained National Board certification prior to the effective date of the bill would also be provided an annual salary supplement. For each school year since the teacher attained National Board certification, the teacher would receive $1,000. If a teacher has taught in more than one district since obtaining the certification, the teacher may apply to the other district for the salary bonus and the district, within 30 days of receipt and verification of the application, must provide the salary bonus to the teacher. For any teacher receiving the annual salary supplement on and after the bill's effective date, that salary supplement will be added to the teacher's base salary on the school board's salary schedule and be considered in the calculation for contribution to the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund.