KRS 161.134: Preparation for national board certification -- Incentives -- Authority to

prorate reimbursements if funds insufficient -- Administrative regulations for

mentoring program.

(1) (a) A teacher pursuing national board certification shall receive from the fund

established under KRS 161.133 a stipend of two hundred dollars ($200) per

day for two (2) days beyond the school contract year to prepare for the

certification assessments.

(b) A local board of education shall provide five (5) days' released time during the

school year for a teacher pursuing national board certification. The local board

of education shall request reimbursement from the fund established under

KRS 161.133 for substitute teacher pay based on the local board of education

salary schedule f or substitute teachers and for stipends paid to a teacher

described in subsection (3) of this section. A local board of education may, at

its own expense, provide additional released time for teachers pursuing

national board certification.

(c) If a teacher does not successfully complete all assessments required for

national board certification during a school year, the provisions in this

subsection may be applied to a second school year.

(d) When funds are not available to fully fund the requirements of par agraphs (a),

(b), and (c) of this subsection for all national board applicants, the board may

prorate the specified reimbursements in paragraphs (a) and (b) and may limit

the conditions under which provisions of paragraph (c) shall be applied to

second year participants. The board shall establish the procedures for carrying

out the provisions of this subsection in an administrative regulation.

(2) (a) As of July 14, 2000, a teacher who attains national board certification shall be

reimbursed seventy-five pe rcent (75%) of the certification fee for the initial

ten (10) year certificate, except the Education Professional Standards Board

may decrease the percentage of reimbursement if a teacher receives payment

other than a repayable loan for the same purpose fr om another source and the

cumulative amount would exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of

the certification fee.

(b) Fees for retaking one (1) or more entries of the national board assessment for

the initial national board certificate and fees for renewal of the certificate shall

be at the teacher's expense.

(c) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the board from reimbursing a

percentage of the initial certification fee to a teacher who has received a

repayable loan from a local board of education or other agency to offset initial

costs.

(3) A national board certified teacher may receive a stipend in addition to his or her

annual compensation for serving as a mentor to teachers within his or her school or

school district. The Education Professi onal Standards Board shall promulgate

administrative regulations under which a local board of education, in cooperation

with the school-based decision making council, may establish a mentoring program

within a school to utilize national board certified tea chers. The administrative

regulations shall specify the conditions for the mentoring program as well as the

amount of the stipend that will be provided to a teacher serving as a mentor.