Report Title:

DOE; Teachers; National Board Certification Incentive Program

Description:

Creates a teacher national board certification incentive program. Appropriates funding to provide national board certified teachers with $5,000 per year.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2071

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to EDUCATION.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The regular session of the 2001 legislature of the State of Hawaii appropriated funding to help teachers achieve national board certification, following the lead of many other states that have provided incentives and support for teachers seeking such certification. States that have successfully encouraged teachers have typically made long-term commitments, often providing bonuses or salary increases for the ten-year life of their national certification. The State of Hawaii has no such long-term commitment. The previous legislative appropriation has ended and department of education support is in question.

The legislature finds that national board certification will help ensure that students are receiving the highest quality instruction and teachers are actively encouraged to remain in their profession. The legislature further finds that national certification also provides a useful means of helping teachers advance in their careers without moving into administration or some other role outside of the classroom.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funding to provide teachers with a $5,000 per year bonus for each year they have current national board certification.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-   Teacher national board certification incentive program. There is established within the department of education a teacher national board certification incentive program to recognize teachers who have achieved national board certification from the national board for professional teaching standards. The program shall provide a $5,000 bonus per year for each teacher who has current national board certification; provided that such teachers shall participate in the department of education's program on best practices in the building of capacity for teaching and learning by training and mentoring other teachers."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $          , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, for the department of education to provide teachers who have current national board certification with an additional $5,000 per teacher.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2004.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________