Iowa Code § 256.44 - National board certification program

1. A national board certification program is established to be administered by the department of education. A teacher, as defined in section 256.145, 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 after 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 in a manner and according to procedures required by the department, 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 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. 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; 2012 Acts, ch 1119, §29, 30; 2025 Acts, ch 145, §4 Referred to in §284.13, 284.15 Subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph 1 amended