S.B. 91

1

BENEFITS TO AMERICAN BOARD
2 CERTIFIED TEACHERS
3 2008 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Mark B. Madsen
6 House Sponsor: Michael T. Morley
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill creates a grant program to minimize the expenses of teachers to obtain the
11 American Board Distinguished Teacher certification and to provide additional
12 compensation to teachers who obtain that certification.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This bill:
15 . creates a program to provide grants to school districts and charter schools to:
16 . pay for the direct costs of teachers to obtain the American Board Distinguished
17 Teacher certification; and
18 . provide additional compensation to teachers who obtain the American Board
19 Distinguished Teacher certification;
20 . requires a school district or charter school to provide matching funds to receive a
21 grant;
22 . provides that school district or charter school participation in the grant program is
23 voluntary; and
24 . directs the State Board of Education to make rules.
25 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
26 This bill appropriates:
27 . as an ongoing appropriation for fiscal year 2008-09, $275,000 to the State Board of

28 Education.
29 Other Special Clauses:
30 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2008.
31 Utah Code Sections Affected:
32 ENACTS:
33 53A-6-113, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34
35 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
36 Section 1. Section 53A-6-113 is enacted to read:
37 53A-6-113. Grant program for distinguished teachers -- Additional compensation.
38 (1) As used in this section:
39 (a) "American Board" means the American Board for Certification of Teacher
40 Excellence.
41 (b) "Distinguished Teacher" means the advanced credential offered by the American
42 Board.
43 (c) "Licensed teacher" means a teacher who holds:
44 (i) a level 1, level 2, or level 3 license; and
45 (ii) the endorsements required by board rule for the teacher's assignments.
46 (2) A grant program is created to:
47 (a) minimize out-of-pocket expenses of licensed teachers to obtain the American Board
48 Distinguished Teacher certification; and
49 (b) provide additional compensation to licensed teachers who obtain the American
50 Board Distinguished Teacher certification.
51 (3) The board shall award grants to school districts and charter schools for the purposes
52 stated in Subsection (2) from monies appropriated by the Legislature for those purposes.
53 (4) (a) To receive grant monies to minimize out-of-pocket expenses of licensed
54 teachers to obtain the American Board Distinguished Teacher certification, a school district or
55 charter school shall provide matching funds equal to the amount of the grant.
56 (b) A school district or charter school shall use grant monies received under Subsection
57 (4)(a) to pay for costs of licensed teachers directly related to obtaining American Board
58 Distinguished Teacher certification.

59 (5) (a) To receive grant monies to provide additional compensation to licensed teachers
60 who obtain the American Board Distinguished Teacher certification, a school district or charter
61 school shall provide $1,500 in matching funds for each teacher.
62 (b) (i) A school district or charter school that provides matching funds as provided in
63 Subsection (5)(a) shall receive grant monies in the amount of $1,500 for each American Board
64 Distinguished Teacher, except as provided in Subsection (5)(b)(ii).
65 (ii) If the request for grant monies under this Subsection (5) exceed the monies
66 appropriated for the grant program, the board shall prorate the amounts of the grants based
67 upon the amount of grant monies available.
68 (6) School district or charter school participation in the program is voluntary and shall
69 be determined by the local school board or charter school governing board.
70 (7) (a) The board shall make rules in accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah
71 Administrative Rulemaking Act, to administer this section.
72 (b) The rules shall include a formula, developed in consultation with school districts
73 and charter schools, that allocates the funding in a fair and equitable manner to qualified grant
74 applicants.
75 Section 2. Appropriation.
76 As an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget constraints, there is appropriated
77 from the Uniform School Fund for fiscal year 2008-09, $275,000 to the State Board of
78 Education for the grant program created in Section 53A-6-113 to minimize expenses of
79 teachers to obtain the American Board Distinguished Teacher certification and to provide
80 additional compensation for teachers who obtain that certification.
81 Section 3. Effective date.
82 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2008.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-23-08 2:44 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel