Representative Kay J. Christofferson proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
TEACHER SALARY SUPPLEMENT AMENDMENTS

2     
2016 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Kay J. Christofferson

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9           This bill amends provisions related to teacher salary supplements.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸      defines terms;
13          ▸     amends provisions related to the amount of a teacher salary supplement;
14          ▸     amends provisions related to an individual's eligibility for a teacher salary
15     supplement; and
16          ▸     makes technical and conforming changes.
17     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18          None
19     Other Special Clauses:
20          None
21     Utah Code Sections Affected:
22     AMENDS:
23          53A-17a-156, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 122
24     

25     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26          Section 1. Section 53A-17a-156 is amended to read:
27          53A-17a-156. Teacher Salary Supplement Program -- Appeal process.
28          (1) As used in this section:
29          (a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
30          (b) "Eligible teacher" means a teacher who:
31          (i) has an assignment to teach:
32          (A) a secondary school level mathematics course;
33          (B) integrated science in grade seven or eight;
34          (C) chemistry;
35          (D) physics; or
36          (E) computer science;
37          (ii) holds the appropriate endorsement for the assigned course;
38          (iii) has qualifying educational background; and
39          (iv) (A) is a new employee; or
40          (B) received a satisfactory rating or above on the teacher's most recent evaluation.
41          (c) "Endorsement" means a stipulation, authorized by the board and appended to a
42     license, that specifies an area of practice to which the license applies.
43          (d) "Field of computer science" means:
44          (i) computer science; or
45          (ii) computer information technology.
46          (e) "Field of science" means:
47          (i) integrated science;
48          (ii) chemistry;
49          (iii) physics;
50          (iv) physical science; or
51          (v) general science.
52          (f) "License" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53A-6-103.
53          [(c)] (g) "Qualifying educational background" means:
54          (i) for a teacher who is assigned a secondary school level mathematics course:
55          (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics; [or]
56          (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
57     requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a bachelor's degree
58     major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics; or
59          (C) a license with a mathematics level four endorsement, as established by the board;
60          (ii) for a teacher who is assigned a grade seven or eight integrated science course,
61     chemistry course, or physics course[,]:
62          (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in[:] a field of
63     science;
64          [(A) integrated science;]
65          [(B) chemistry;]
66          [(C) physics;]
67          [(D) physical science;]
68          [(E) general science; or]
69          [(F)] (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
70     requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
71     degree [listed in Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through (E);] described in Subsection (1)(g)(ii)(A);
72     or
73          (C) a license with a chemistry or physics endorsement, as established by the board; or
74          (iii) for a teacher who is assigned a computer science course[,]:
75          (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in[:] a field of
76     computer science;
77          [(A) computer science;]
78          [(B) computer information technology; or]
79          [(C)] (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
80     requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
81     degree [listed in Subsections (1)(c)(iii)(A) and (B).] described in Subsection (1)(g)(iii)(A); or
82          (C) a license with a computer science level two endorsement, as established by the
83     board.
84          (2) (a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall annually appropriate
85     money to the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account established in Section
86     53A-17a-157 to fund the Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
87          (b) Money appropriated for the Teacher Salary Supplement Program shall include
88     money for the following employer-paid benefits:
89          (i) retirement;
90          (ii) workers' compensation;
91          (iii) social security; and
92          (iv) Medicare.
93          (3) (a) The annual salary supplement for an eligible teacher who is assigned full time to
94     teach one or more courses listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A) through (E) is [$4,100] $3,365.
95          (b) An eligible teacher who has a part-time assignment to teach one or more courses
96     listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A) through (E) shall receive a partial salary supplement based on
97     the number of hours worked in [a] the course assignment [that meets the requirements of
98     Subsections (1)(b)(ii) and (iii)].
99          (4) The board shall:
100          (a) create an online application system for a teacher to apply to receive a salary
101     supplement through the Teacher Salary Supplement Program;
102          (b) determine if a teacher:
103          (i) is an eligible teacher; and
104          (ii) has a course assignment as listed in Subsections (1)(b)(i)(A) through (E); and
105          (c) verify, as needed, the determinations made under Subsection (4)(b) with school
106     district and school administrators.
107          (5) (a) An eligible teacher shall apply with the board before the conclusion of a school
108     year to receive the salary supplement authorized in this section.
109          (b) An eligible teacher may apply with the board, after verification that the
110     requirements under this section have been satisfied, to receive a salary supplement after the
111     completion of:
112          (i) the school year as an annual award; or
113          (ii) a semester or trimester as a partial award based on the portion of the school year
114     that has been completed.
115          (6) (a) The board shall establish and administer an appeal process for a teacher to
116     follow if the teacher applies for [the] a salary supplement and [is not certified under Subsection
117     (4)] does not receive a salary supplement under Subsection (8).
118          (b) (i) The appeal process established in Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
119     appeal on the basis that the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements that
120     are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a degree [listed] described in:
121          (A) Subsection (1)[(c)](g)(i)(A);
122          (B) [Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through (E)] Subsection (1)(g)(ii)(A); or
123          (C) [Subsections (1)(c)(iii)(A) and (B)] Subsection (1)(g)(iii)(A).
124          (ii) A teacher shall provide transcripts and other documentation to the board in order
125     for the board to determine if the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements
126     that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a degree [listed] described in:
127          (A) Subsection (1)[(c)](g)(i)(A);
128          (B) [Subsections (1)(c)(ii)(A) through (E)] Subsection (1)(g)(ii)(A); or
129          (C) [Subsections (1)(c)(iii)(A) and (B)] Subsection (1)(g)(iii)(A).
130          (7) (a) The board shall distribute money from the Teacher Salary Supplement
131     Restricted Account to school districts and charter schools for the Teacher Salary Supplement
132     Program in accordance with the provisions of this section.
133          (b) The board shall include the employer-paid benefits described under Subsection
134     (2)(b) in the amount of each salary supplement.
135          (c) The employer-paid benefits described under Subsection (2)(b) are an addition to the
136     salary supplement limits described under Subsection (3).
137          (8) (a) Money received from the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account shall
138     be used by a school district or charter school to provide a salary supplement equal to the
139     amount specified in Subsection (3) for each eligible teacher.
140          (b) The salary supplement is part of the teacher's base pay, subject to the teacher's
141     qualification as an eligible teacher every year, semester, or trimester.
142          (9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the appropriation for the program
143     is insufficient to cover the costs associated with salary supplements, the board may limit or
144     reduce the salary supplements.