(a) An NBCT who began the process of initial certification or was certified or recertified before January 1, 2018:
(1) Shall receive a yearly incentive payment if selected to participate in the NBPTS program under this part and if at the time of receiving the bonus, the NBCT is:
- (A) Employed full time as a classroom teacher, building-level principal, or building-level assistant principal in an Arkansas public school;
- (B) An NBCT certified on or after August 1, 2009, and who, after working a minimum of three (3) years with National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification as a classroom teacher or as a building-level administrator or building-level assistant administrator in an Arkansas public school district, is employed full time as a teacher in an accredited teacher preparation program at a state-sponsored institution of higher education;
- (C) An NBCT who moved into the state on or before January 1, 2017, and is employed full time as a classroom teacher, building-level principal, or building-level assistant principal in an Arkansas public school; or
- (D) An NBCT certified on or after August 1, 2009, who moved into the state on or before January 1, 2017, and after working a minimum of three (3) years with National Board certification as a classroom teacher or as a building-level administrator or building-level assistant administrator in an Arkansas public school district is employed full time as a teacher in an accredited teacher preparation program at a state-sponsored institution of higher education;
- (2) An NBCT who meets the qualifications of this subsection and is working full time in a public school that is not a high-poverty school or a high-poverty charter school shall receive a gross yearly incentive payment of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the length of the certification or the recertification, but for no more than ten (10) school years;
- (3) An NBCT who meets the qualifications of this subsection and is working full time in a public school that is a high-poverty school that is not in a high-poverty school district shall receive a gross yearly incentive payment of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the length of the certification or the recertification, but for no more than ten (10) school years; and
- (4) A person who meets the qualifications of this subsection and is working full time in a public school that is a high-poverty school in a high-poverty district or is a high-poverty charter school shall receive a gross yearly incentive payment of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for the length of the certification or the recertification, but for no more than ten (10) school years.
(b)
(1) An NBCT who began the certification process and was certified after January 1, 2018, shall receive a yearly incentive payment if the NBCT is:
- (A) A classroom teacher;
- (B) An instructional facilitator; or
- (C) An instructional leader.
- (2) An NBCT who meets the qualifications of this subsection and is working full time in a public school that is not a high-poverty school or a high-poverty charter school shall receive a gross yearly incentive payment of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) for no more than five (5) school years.
- (3) An NBCT who meets the qualifications of this subsection and is working full time in a public school that is a high-poverty school that is not in a high-poverty school district shall receive a gross yearly incentive payment of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for no more than five (5) school years.
- (4) A person who meets the qualifications of this subsection and is working full time in a public school that is a high-poverty school in a high-poverty district or is a high-poverty charter school shall receive a gross yearly incentive payment of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for no more than ten (10) school years.
(c)
- (1) Payments shall be made annually by June 30.
- (2) An NBCT shall not receive an incentive payment if the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education has not received verification of the NBCT by the employer.
- (d) A person shall not receive in the same school year more than one (1) yearly incentive payment under subsection (b).
- (e) A person shall not receive in the same school year an incentive payment under both subsections (a) and (b).
- (f) The division shall not pay an incentive or any increase in an incentive retroactively.
(g) The NBCT shall not be eligible to receive an incentive payment if the NBCT:
(1)
- (A) Has received an incentive payment for a cumulative total of ten (10) school years after January 1, 2018.
- (B) Payments may only be received for a maximum of ten (10) years if certified after January 1, 2018;
- (2) Leaves the full-time employment of an Arkansas public school district;
- (3) Becomes employed as a district-level central office administrator;
- (4) Is employed by an Arkansas institution of higher education and does not teach in an accredited teacher preparation program; or
- (5) Is employed by an education service cooperative and does not meet the definition of classroom teacher listed in 6 CAR § 188-102(4).
- (h) A person shall not receive an incentive payment under multiple sections of this part in the same school year.
- (i) A traveling teacher who is eligible for an incentive payment under this part shall receive the incentive for the school that the teacher’s contract identifies as the teacher’s home base.