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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill amends provisions related to the Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ allows a teacher with a bachelor's degree minor in certain areas to qualify for the
13 Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
14 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15 None
16 Other Special Clauses:
17 This bill provides a special effective date.
18 Utah Code Sections Affected:
19 AMENDS:
20 53A-17a-156, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 351
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22 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23 Section 1. Section 53A-17a-156 is amended to read:
24 53A-17a-156. Teacher Salary Supplement Program -- Appeal process.
25 (1) As used in this section:
26 (a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
27 (b) "Eligible teacher" means a teacher who:
28 (i) has an assignment to teach:
29 (A) a secondary school level mathematics course;
30 (B) integrated science in grade seven or eight;
31 (C) chemistry; or
32 (D) physics;
33 (ii) holds the appropriate endorsement for the assigned course;
34 (iii) has qualifying educational background; and
35 (iv) (A) is a new employee; or
36 (B) received a satisfactory rating or above on the teacher's most recent evaluation.
37 (c) "Qualifying educational background" means:
38 (i) for a teacher who is assigned a secondary school level mathematics course:
39 (A) a bachelor's degree minor, bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral
40 degree in mathematics; or
41 (B) a bachelor's degree minor, bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral
42 degree that has course requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements
43 for a bachelor's degree minor, bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in
44 mathematics; and
45 (ii) for a teacher who is assigned a grade seven or eight integrated science course,
46 chemistry course, or physics course, a bachelor's degree minor, bachelor's degree major,
47 master's degree, or doctoral degree in:
48 (A) integrated science;
49 (B) chemistry;
50 (C) physics;
51 (D) physical science;
52 (E) general science; or
53 (F) a bachelor's degree minor, bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral
54 degree that has course requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements
55 of those required for a degree listed in Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through (E).
56 (2) (a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall annually appropriate
57 money to the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account established in Section
58 53A-17a-157 to fund the Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
59 (b) Money appropriated for the Teacher Salary Supplement Program shall include
60 money for the following employer-paid benefits:
61 (i) retirement;
62 (ii) workers' compensation;
63 (iii) Social Security; and
64 (iv) Medicare.
65 (3) (a) Beginning in fiscal year 2008-09, the annual salary supplement is $4,100 for an
66 eligible teacher who:
67 (i) is assigned full time to teach one or more courses listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A)
68 through (D); and
69 (ii) meets the requirements of Subsections (1)(b)(ii) and (iii) for each course
70 assignment.
71 (b) An eligible teacher who has a part-time assignment to teach one or more courses
72 listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A) through (D) shall receive a partial salary supplement based on
73 the number of hours worked in a course assignment that meets the requirements of Subsections
74 (1)(b)(ii) and (iii).
75 (4) The board shall:
76 (a) create an online application system for a teacher to apply to receive a salary
77 supplement through the Teacher Salary Supplement Program;
78 (b) determine if a teacher:
79 (i) is an eligible teacher; and
80 (ii) has a course assignment as listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A) through (D);
81 (c) verify, as needed, the determinations made under Subsection (4)(b) with school
82 district and school administrators; and
83 (d) certify a list of eligible teachers and the amount of their salary supplement, sorted
84 by school district and charter school, to the Division of Finance.
85 (5) (a) An eligible teacher shall apply with the board before the conclusion of a school
86 year to receive the salary supplement authorized in this section.
87 (b) An eligible teacher may apply with the board, after verification that the
88 requirements under this section have been satisfied, to receive a salary supplement after the
89 completion of:
90 (i) the school year as an annual award; or
91 (ii) a semester or trimester as a partial award based on the portion of the school year
92 that has been completed.
93 (6) (a) The board shall establish and administer an appeal process for a teacher to
94 follow if the teacher applies for the salary supplement and is not certified under Subsection
95 (4)(d).
96 (b) (i) The appeal process established in Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
97 appeal on the basis that the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements that
98 are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a degree listed in Subsection
99 (1)(c)(i)(A) or Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through (E).
100 (ii) A teacher shall provide transcripts and other documentation to the board in order
101 for the board to determine if the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements
102 that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a degree listed in Subsection
103 (1)(c)(i)(A) or Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through (E).
104 (7) (a) The Division of Finance shall distribute money from the Teacher Salary
105 Supplement Restricted Account to school districts and charter schools for the Teacher Salary
106 Supplement Program in accordance with the provisions of this section.
107 (b) The board shall include the employer-paid benefits described under Subsection
108 (2)(b) in the amount of each salary supplement certified to the Division of Finance.
109 (c) The employer-paid benefits described under Subsection (2)(b) are an addition to the
110 salary supplement limits described under Subsection (3).
111 (8) (a) Money received from the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account shall
112 be used by a school district or charter school to provide a salary supplement equal to the
113 amount specified for each eligible teacher.
114 (b) The salary supplement is part of the teacher's base pay, subject to the teacher's
115 qualification as an eligible teacher every year, semester, or trimester.
116 (9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the appropriation for the program
117 is insufficient to cover the costs associated with salary supplements, the board may limit or
118 reduce the salary supplements.
119 Section 2. Effective date.
120 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2015.
Legislative Review Note
as of 10-20-14 7:17 AM
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel