S 0128 General Bill, By Leatherman
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-26-85, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO TEACHERS WHO ARE CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL
 TEACHING STANDARDS (NBPTS) BEING EXEMPT FROM CERTAIN STATE CERTIFICATION
 REQUIREMENTS, RECEIVING A SPECIFIED INCREASE IN PAY, AND BEING REIMBURSED ON A
 LOAN AND FORGIVENESS BASIS FOR THE COST OF THE CERTIFICATION, SO AS TO PROVIDE
 THAT THE SPECIFIED INCREASE IN PAY SHALL BE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR
 THE LIFE OF THE CERTIFICATION RATHER THAN AN INCREASE TO BE DETERMINED
 ANNUALLY IN THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE
 REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF THE CERTIFICATION INSTEAD OF A LOAN SHALL BE
 ONE-HALF OF THE COST TO BE PAID AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AND ONE-HALF OF THE
 COST TO BE PAID AT THE TIME OF CERTIFICATION.

   01/11/01  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-14
   01/11/01  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-14

TO AMEND SECTION 59-26-85, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO TEACHERS WHO ARE CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS (NBPTS) BEING EXEMPT FROM CERTAIN STATE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, RECEIVING A SPECIFIED INCREASE IN PAY, AND BEING REIMBURSED ON A LOAN AND FORGIVENESS BASIS FOR THE COST OF THE CERTIFICATION, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE SPECIFIED INCREASE IN PAY SHALL BE TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR THE LIFE OF THE CERTIFICATION RATHER THAN AN INCREASE TO BE DETERMINED ANNUALLY IN THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF THE CERTIFICATION INSTEAD OF A LOAN SHALL BE ONE-HALF OF THE COST TO BE PAID AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AND ONE-HALF OF THE COST TO BE PAID AT THE TIME OF CERTIFICATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 59-26-85 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 393 of 2000, is amended to read:

"Section 59-26-85. (A) Teachers who are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) shall enter a recertification cycle for their South Carolina certificate consistent with the recertification cycle for National Board certification and NBPTS certified teachers moving to this State are exempted from initial certification requirements and are eligible for continuing contract status and their recertification cycle will be consistent with National Board certification. Teachers receiving national certification from the NBPTS shall receive an annual increase in pay for the life of the certification of ten thousand dollars per year from state appropriated funds. The pay increase shall be determined annually in the appropriations act. The established amount shall be added to the annual pay of the nationally certified teacher.

(B) The Center for Teacher Recruitment shall develop guidelines and administer the programs whereby teachers applying to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards for certification may receive a loan equal to the amount of the application fee. One-half of the loan principal amount and interest shall be forgiven when the required portfolio is submitted to the national board. Teachers attaining certification within three years of receiving the loan will have the full loan principal amount and interest forgiven shall be reimbursed for the cost of the certification from state appropriated funds, with one-half of the cost to be paid at the time of application, and the remainder of the cost to be paid at the time of certification."

SECTION 2. The provisions of Section 59-26-85 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Section 1 of this act, apply to teachers receiving NBPTS certification on or after the effective date of this act.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.