00                     CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 215(EDC)                                                                    
01 "An Act relating to teacher national board certification; and providing for an effective                                
02 date."                                                                                                                  
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 14.20 is amended by adding a new section to read:                                                  
05 Sec. 14.20.225. Teacher incentive payments and reimbursement of costs                                                 
06 relating to national board certification. (a) In January of each year, a district or the                              
07 department, as applicable, may pay an incentive payment of $5,000 to each teacher                                       
08 who is employed by the district or the department and who holds a current and valid                                     
09       national board certification.                                                                                     
10 (b)  A district or the department, as applicable, shall reimburse each teacher                                          
11 who is employed by the district or the department and who is pursuing a national                                        
12 board certification for the costs the teacher incurs in pursuing the national board                                     
13 certification. The district or the department, as applicable, shall reimburse the teacher                               
14 on an ongoing basis for the costs incurred by the teacher and not later than 60 days                                    

01       after the teacher makes a request for reimbursement.                                                              
02            (c)  The department shall provide sufficient funding, subject to appropriation                               
03 and in addition to the state aid received under AS 14.17, to a district to make national                                
04 board certification incentive and reimbursement payments as provided in this section.                                   
05 (d)  Nothing in this section prohibits a district or the department from                                                
06       providing additional monetary incentives to a teacher.                                                            
07            (e)  In this section,                                                                                        
08                 (1)  "district" has the meaning given in AS 14.17.990;                                                  
09                 (2)  "national board certification" means individual achievement of                                     
10       national professional teaching standards as certified by a nationally recognized board.                           
11    * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
12 read:                                                                                                                   
13       APPLICABILITY. (a) This Act applies to a contract or collective bargaining                                        
14 agreement that becomes legally binding on or after the effective date of this Act.                                      
15       (b)  AS 14.20.225(b), added by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to costs a teacher incurs on                           
16 or after the effective date of this Act.                                                                                
17    * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect July 1, 2024.