Teachers in a professional improvement program must sign a written agreement to repay excess state compensation, and a 5% penalty applies if reimbursement is not timely made.
§3621.1. Reimbursement of compensation A. Each teacher participating in a professional improvement program in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter shall enter into a written agreement with the state superintendent of education obligating such teacher to reimburse the state superintendent of education for all compensation paid by the state to such teacher as a participant in such program in excess of that provided for such teacher under R.S. 17:421.3 or the statute providing state paid salary for such teacher. Reimbursement shall be required from the teacher in any one year in which he does not successfully complete all the elements prescribed in his program for that year in accordance with R.S. 17:3623(A), except as provided in R.S. 17:3653. B. When any teacher fails to successfully complete all the elements prescribed for any one year of his program as herein provided, except as provided in R.S. 17:3653, he shall reimburse the state superintendent of education all monies paid to him by the state as a participant in such program in excess of the amount provided for such teacher in R.S. 17:421.3 or the statute providing state paid salary for such teacher for that year. The State Professional Improvement Committee, provided for in R.S. 17:3610, shall adopt rules and regulations to establish a procedure by which this reimbursement shall be accomplished. If any teacher fails to make timely reimbursement to the state superintendent of education in accordance with the provisions of this Section and the rules and regulations adopted pursuant hereto, there shall be imposed a specific penalty to be added to such reimbursement in the amount of five percent of such reimbursement. Such penalty and the original reimbursement amount shall constitute a legal obligation of the teacher. The attorney general shall collect all such obligations which are not timely paid on behalf of the superintendent of education, or, if requested by the superintendent, the school board which currently employs such teacher shall collect such obligation, in which case the attorney general shall be released from such responsibility. Costs incurred by local school boards in the required collection of such obligations shall be reimbursed by the state in the same manner as provided in R.S. 17:3654. C. Any participant whose plan is found to contain activities or pursuits not approved for participants in his area of certification or not otherwise approved by the state committee shall lose all PIPS awarded for such activities or pursuits, and, if the total PIPS awarded after such deduction has been made are not sufficient to qualify such participant for an enhanced salary under the provisions of this Chapter, he shall be required to reimburse the state superintendent of education for any enhanced salary received, such reimbursement to be accomplished as provided in this Section. The state committee shall determine whether reimbursement shall be required in accordance with the provisions of this Subsection. Added by Acts 1981, No. 336, §1, eff. July 15, 1981.