Bill Text: GA HB243 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Elementary and secondary education; salary increase; repeal
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 4)
Status: (Passed) 2009-07-01 - Effective Date [HB243 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2009-HB243-Comm_Sub.html
09 HB243/SCSFA/1
SENATE
SUBSTITUTE TO HB 243
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Subpart 2 of Part 6 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official
Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to conditions of employment of certificated
personnel in elementary and secondary education, so as to provide that only
teachers currently receiving salary increases for National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards certification shall be eligible for continuing
increases; to provide for an exception for teachers enrolled in the process as
of March 1, 2009; to provide that if an individual leaves a teaching position,
he or she is no longer eligible for the salary increase; to provide that such
increases are subject to appropriations by the General Assembly; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Subpart
2 of Part 6 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to conditions of employment of certificated
personnel in elementary and secondary education, is amended by revising Code
Section 20-2-212.2, relating to salary increases for persons receiving
certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, as
follows:
"20-2-212.2.
(a)
As used in this Code section, the term:
(1)
'High-needs school' means a Georgia public school that has received an
unacceptable rating for a period of two or more consecutive years;
and
(2)
'National certification' means certification obtained from the National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards.
(b)
For initial national certification prior to July 1, 2006, and subsequent
renewals anytime thereafter,
(1)
Any person who:
(A)
Is currently teaching full time in a Georgia public school and holds a valid
Georgia teaching certificate; and
(B)
Has successfully completed the prerequisite portfolio of student work and
examination and has received national certification
shall
receive not less than a 10 percent rate increase in state salary for each year
he or she holds national certification. Such increase shall be awarded
beginning on the date such certification is received. The 10 percent increase
shall be computed based on the starting state salary when national
certification is received and recomputed each subsequent year based on the
starting state salary for that school year. In the case of a person who has
received such national certification prior to July 1, 2000, and is receiving or
is eligible to receive a 5 percent rate increase, the 5 percent rate increase
shall be changed to a 10 percent rate increase effective with the commencement
of the 2000-2001 school year. The increase in state salary provided by this
Code section shall be in addition to any other increase for which the person is
eligible. An
individual receiving a salary increase pursuant to this subsection shall cease
to receive such increase if he or she leaves a teaching position after March 1,
2009. This subsection shall be subject to appropriations by the General
Assembly.
(2)
A teacher shall be granted two days of approved paid leave to prepare the
portfolio of student work required for national certification.
(3)
A portion of the national certification program participation fee may be paid by
the state prior to certification for any person who:
(A)
Is currently teaching in a Georgia public school and holds a valid Georgia
teaching certificate;
(B)
Has submitted an application and the initial qualifying payment to the National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards; and
(C)
Has successfully completed a screening process developed by the Professional
Standards Commission.
(4)(2)
A teacher for whom the State of Georgia pays a portion of the national
certification participation fee and who does not teach in a Georgia public
school for at least one year after receiving certification shall repay the
state's portion of the participation fee to the state. Repayment is not
required if the teacher is unable to complete the additional year of teaching
due to the death or disability of the teacher, and repayment is not required if
the teacher fails to receive national
board
certification.
(5)(3)
The portion of the national certification program participation fee paid by the
participant shall be reimbursed by the state upon certification for any teacher
who is eligible for an increase pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection.
This paragraph
shall be subject to appropriations by the General Assembly.
(6)(4)
A teacher for whom the State of Georgia reimburses the cost of the participation
fee and who does not teach in a Georgia public school for at least one year
after receiving certification shall repay the reimbursement payment to the
state. Repayment is not required if the teacher is unable to complete the
additional year of teaching due to the death or disability of the
teacher.
(b.1)
Any person who has enrolled in the process, as determined by the Professional
Standards Commission, of attaining national certification on or before March 1,
2005, and who obtains initial certification and subsequent renewals after July
1, 2006, shall be eligible for salary
increases,
subject to appropriations by the General
Assembly, pursuant to subsection (b) of
this Code section if such person otherwise meets the requirements of subsection
(b) of this Code section.
(c)
Except as provided for in
subsection
subsections
(b.1) and
(c.1) of this Code section, for initial
national certification
on and
after
between
July 1, 2006,
and March 1,
2009, and subsequent renewals anytime
thereafter,
(1)
Any person who:
(A)
Is currently teaching full time in a high-needs school and holds a valid Georgia
teaching certificate as defined by the Professional Standards Commission;
and
(B)
Has successfully completed the prerequisite portfolio of student work and
examination and has received national certification
shall
receive not less than a 10 percent rate increase in state salary for each year
he or she holds national certification. Such increase shall be awarded
beginning on the date such certification is received. The 10 percent increase
shall be computed based on the starting state salary when national certification
is received. A teacher who transfers to a high-needs school after such
individual receives national certification shall receive such increase beginning
on the effective date of transfer if the teacher meets the requirements of this
subsection, and such increase shall be computed based on the starting state
salary on the effective date of the transfer. Provided such individual remains
employed in a high-needs school or in a school that was designated as a
high-needs school at the time the individual received national certification or
transferred to such school and otherwise continues to meet the requirements of
this subsection, the 10 percent increase shall be recomputed each subsequent
year based on the starting state salary for that school year.
An individual
receiving a salary increase pursuant to this subsection shall cease to receive
such increase if he or she leaves a teaching position after March 1, 2009. This
subsection shall be subject to appropriations by the General
Assembly.
(2)
A teacher shall be granted two days of approved paid leave to prepare the
portfolio of student work required for national certification.
(3)(2)
The Professional Standards Commission shall provide annually to the Department
of Education a roster of teachers who have
attained
and retained national certification and
are eligible for the annual increase.
(4)
The Professional Standards Commission shall be authorized to accept, receive,
distribute, and administer funds to be used for national certification program
participation fees.
(c.1)
Any person who has enrolled in the process, as determined by the Professional
Standards Commission, of attaining national certification on or before March 1,
2009, shall be eligible for salary increases, subject to appropriations by the
General Assembly, pursuant to subsection (c) of this Code section if such person
otherwise meets the requirements of subsection (c) of this Code
section.
(d)
Except as provided in subsection (c.1) of this Code section, on and after July
1, 2009, only teachers receiving a salary increase pursuant to this Code section
as of March 1, 2009, shall be eligible to continue receiving such salary
increases, subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, but only if such
teachers otherwise meet all applicable requirements.
(e)
On and after July 1, 2009, subject to appropriations by the General Assembly,
any person who has enrolled in the process, as determined by the Professional
Standards Commission, of attaining national certification and is currently
teaching full-time in a high-needs school and holds a valid Georgia teaching
certificate as defined by the Professional Standards Commission shall be granted
two days of approved paid leave to prepare the portfolio of student work
required for national
certification."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
