# Title 15.1 — Elementary and Secondary Education

## Chapter 15.1-18.1 — Teacher Certification

### § 15.1-18.1-01. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Board" means the education standards and practices board.
2. "Certification" means national board certification as provided by the national board.
3. "National board" means the national board for professional teaching standards.
### § 15.1-18.1-02. National board certification program - Recertification - Board duties.

1. The board shall:
a. Inform teachers of the national board certification program and the scholarships
and services the national board provides to teachers seeking certification.
b. Collect and review in the order received scholarship applications from individuals
who are licensed to teach by the board or approved to teach by the board.
c. (1) Approve no more than seventeen applications per year under this
subsection;
(2) During each year of the biennium, reserve three of the available
scholarships under this subsection until October first for individuals teaching
at low-performing schools. At that time, the three slots, if not filled, become
available to all other applicants;
(3) Require the recipient for a scholarship under this subsection to serve during
the school year as a full-time classroom teacher in a public or nonpublic
school in this state; and
(4) If available, require the recipient for a scholarship under this subsection to
participate in mentoring programs developed and implemented in the
employing school or school district.
d. Ensure that all scholarship recipients under this subsection receive adequate
information regarding the level of commitment required to acquire certification.
2. The board shall collect and review in the order received scholarship applications for
national board recertification from individuals who are licensed to teach by the board
or approved to teach by the board and:
a. Approve no more than three scholarship applications per year under this
subsection;
b. Require each recipient for a scholarship under this subsection to serve during the
school year as a full-time classroom teacher in a public or nonpublic school in this
state; and
c. If available, require each recipient for a scholarship under this subsection to
participate in mentoring programs developed and implemented in the employing
school or school district.
3. If any individual who receives a scholarship under this section does not complete the
certification process within the time allotted by the board, the individual must
reimburse the state an amount equal to one-half of the amount awarded to the
individual as a scholarship.
4. At the conclusion of each school year after an individual receives national board
certification, the board shall pay to an individual an additional one thousand five
hundred dollars for the life of the national board certificate if:
a. The individual was employed during the school year as a full-time classroom
teacher by a school district in this state; and
b. The individual participated in any efforts of the employing school district to
develop and implement teacher mentoring programs.
5. A contract negotiated under chapter 15.1-16 may not preclude or limit the ability of a
school district or any other entity, public or private, from providing any remuneration to
a teacher who has obtained national board certification. Any remuneration received by
a teacher as a consequence of having obtained national board certification is in

addition to any other compensation otherwise payable as a result of any contract
negotiated under chapter 15.1-16.
