N.Y. Education Law § 3004-a: National board for professional teaching standards certification grant program

§ 3004-a. National board for professional teaching standards

certification grant program. 1. Notwithstanding any inconsistent

provision of law, the commissioner shall establish the Albert Shanker

national board for professional teaching standards certification grant

program, to be used by the department to defray any costs incurred by an

eligible teacher, as that term is described in subdivision two of this

section and his or her sponsoring school district, where such eligible

teacher seeks national board certification from the national board for

professional teacher standards.

2. As used in this section, "eligible teacher" shall mean a New York

state tenured public school teacher who:

(a) is currently teaching in New York state;

(b) has graduated from an accredited college or university; and

(c) holds a valid New York state teaching certificate.

3. Under the provisions of this section and subject to the filing

requirement described in subdivision four of this section, a grant in an

amount of up to two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) shall be made

available from the Albert Shanker national board for professional

teaching standards certification grant program to each eligible teacher

to defray the expenses of certification by the national board for

professional teaching standards. Such sum may include the direct

reimbursement by the department to the eligible teacher's sponsoring

school district from the total grant award to cover the cost of hiring a

substitute teacher for up to three days or the duration of such eligible

teacher's approved leave, whichever is less.

4. The commissioner shall be responsible for promulgating any

regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section,

including:

(a) establishing within the department an application form and filing

deadline requirements to be utilized by eligible teachers applying for

the Albert Shanker national board for professional teaching standards

grant program;

(b) establishing a mechanism for processing and approving applications

within the department;

(c) establishing a mechanism to allocate grant awards to approved

eligible teachers; and

(d) establishing a mechanism to reimburse sponsoring school districts

for up to three days of approved leave as described in subdivision three

of this section.

5. An eligible teacher for whom the state pays a participation fee

shall be liable for repayment of the grant to the department if such

eligible teacher:

(a) does not complete the process; or

(b) completes the process, but does not teach in a New York state

public school for at least one full year after achieving national board

for professional teaching standards certification.

6. Repayment of the grant is not required:

(a) if the certification process is not completed or if the eligible

teacher fails to teach for one full year after completion due to his or

her death or disability or some other extenuating circumstances as may

be recognized by the board of regents; or

(b) if the eligible teacher completes the process but does not achieve

certification.