72-2166. National board for professional teaching standards certification incentive program. (a) The national board for professional teaching standards certification incentive program is hereby established for the purpose of rewarding teachers who have attained certification from the national board. Teachers who have attained certification from the national board shall be issued a master teacher's license by the state board of education. A master teacher's license shall be valid for 10 years and renewable thereafter every 10 years through compliance with continuing education and professional development requirements prescribed by the state board. Teachers who have attained certification from the national board and who are employed by a school district shall be paid an incentive bonus in the amount of $1,000 each school year that the teacher remains employed by a school district and retains a valid master teacher's license.

(b) The board of education of each school district employing one or more national board certified teachers shall pay the incentive bonus to each such teacher in each school year that the teacher retains eligibility for such payment. Each board of education which has made payments of incentive bonuses to national board certified teachers under this subsection may file an application with the state board of education for state aid and shall certify to the state board the amount of such payments. The application and certification shall be on a form prescribed and furnished by the state board, shall contain such information as the state board shall require and shall be filed at the time specified by the state board.

(c) In each school year, each school district employing one or more national board certified teachers is entitled to receive from appropriations for the national board for professional teaching standards certification incentive program an amount which is equal to the amount certified to the state board of education in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b). The state board shall certify to the director of accounts and reports the amount due each school district. The director of accounts and reports shall draw warrants on the state treasurer payable to the treasurer of each school district entitled to payment under this section upon vouchers approved by the state board.

(d) Moneys received by a board of education under this section shall be deposited in the general fund of the school district and shall be considered reimbursements to the district for the purpose of the Kansas school equity and enhancement act, K.S.A. 72-5131 et seq., and amendments thereto, and may be expended whether the same have been budgeted or not.

(e) The state board of education is authorized to provide scholarships of $1,100 each to teachers who are accepted to participate in the national board for professional teaching standards program for initial certification. The state board of education is authorized to provide scholarships of $500 each to teachers who are accepted to participate in the national board for professional teaching standards program for renewal of certification. Any teacher who has been accepted to participate in such program may file an application with the state board of education for a scholarship. The application shall be on a form prescribed and furnished by the state board, shall contain such information as the state board shall require and shall be filed at the time specified by the state board.

(f) As used in this section, the term "school district" means any school district organized and operating under the laws of this state.

History: L. 2000, ch. 138, § 2; L. 2005, ch. 158, § 10; L. 2015, ch. 4, § 30; L. 2017, ch. 95, § 62; July 1.