FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
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T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
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Members
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SALLY B RADSHAW
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LINDA J. EADS, ED.D.
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CHARLES PATRICK G ARCÍA
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JULIA L. J OHNSON
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WILLIAM L. P ROCTOR, PH.D.
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MEMORANDUM
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To:
District School Superintendents
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From:
Jim Horne
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Date:
June 18, 2003
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JIM HORNE
Commissioner of Education
Subject
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BONUS ELIGIBILITY FOR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO
BECOME READING COACHES
Recently, a question has arisen regarding National Board Certified Teachers who leave the
classroom but remain employed by the school district, especially those teachers who choose to
become reading coaches.
I am proud to have been a part of the effort in the Legislature that created the Excellent Teacher Act.
I was the principal author of the legislation in 1997 while serving in the Senate; therefore I am able to
speak to its original intent. The Excellent Teacher Act, which has been recently renamed in honor of
the late Dale Hickam, was designed to accomplish two primary objectives. First and foremost, this
act was created to keep accomplished teachers in the classroom and reward them financially for
their performance. Secondly, the act was designed to provide incentives for experienced and
effective teachers to mentor newly-inducted teachers and other teachers who may need that extra
helping hand.
While there may be valid and compelling reasons for a National Board Certified teacher to choose to
become a reading coach, it clearly contradicts the intent of the original legislation. I recognize the
potential value and contributions that National Board Certified teachers can make in a different role,
but it could potentially create a Pandora’s box that might jeopardize the entire program. Reading
coaches are a very important ingredient in Governor Bush’s Just Read, Florida! Initiative, and we are
committed to placing the very best talent in our schools to ensure that the Governor’s goals are
reached. Nevertheless, our highest priority is to ensure that every Florida classroom has a highly
qualified teacher. One of my greatest challenges is to create an environment in which our best
teachers make conscious decisions to remain in the classroom where they can have the greatest
impact on our students.
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 1514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0505 • www.fldoe.org
Bonus Eligibility for National Board Certified Teachers Who Become Reading Coaches
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June 18, 2003
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Page Two
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I hope this memorandum clarifies any potential confusion. Please find attached a copy of the statute
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for your reference.
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If you have questions or need additional information regarding the Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching
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Program, please contact Beatrice Monroe at (850) 245-0554 or via email at
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Beatrice.monroe@fldoe.org. If you have questions regarding Reading First reading coaches, please
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contact Christy Hovanetz at (850) 245-0503 or via email at Christy.hovanetz@fldoe.org.
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JH:mjbo
Attachment
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Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program Contacts
Reading First Contacts
Reading Supervisors
Language Arts Supervisors
1012.72 Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program.-
(1) The Legislature recognizes that teachers play a critical role in preparing
students to achieve the high levels of academic performance expected by the
Sunshine State Standards. The Legislature further recognizes the importance of
identifying and rewarding teaching excellence and of encouraging good teachers
to become excellent teachers. The Legislature finds that the National Board of
Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has established high and rigorous
standards for accomplished teaching and has developed a national voluntary
system for assessing and certifying teachers who demonstrate teaching
excellence by meeting those standards. It is therefore the Legislature's intent to
provide incentives for teachers to seek NBPTS certification and to reward
teachers who demonstrate teaching excellence by attaining NBPTS certification
and sharing their expertise with other teachers.
(2) The Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program is created to provide
categorical funding for monetary incentives and bonuses for teaching excellence.
The Department of Education shall distribute to each school district or to the
NBPTS an amount as prescribed annually by the Legislature for the Dale Hickam
Excellent Teaching Program. For purposes of this section, the Florida School for
the Deaf and the Blind shall be considered a school district. Unless otherwise
provided in the General Appropriations Act, each distribution shall be the sum of
the amounts earned for the following incentives and bonuses:
(a) A fee subsidy to be paid by the Department of Education to the NBPTS on
behalf of each individual who is an employee of a district school board or a public
school within the school district, who is certified by the district to have
demonstrated satisfactory teaching performance pursuant to s. 1012.34 and who
satisfies the prerequisites for participating in the NBPTS certification program,
and who agrees, in writing, to pay 10 percent of the NBPTS participation fee and
to participate in the NBPTS certification program during the school year for which
the fee subsidy is provided. The fee subsidy for each eligible participant shall be
an amount equal to 90 percent of the fee charged for participating in the NBPTS
certification program. The fee subsidy is a one-time award and may not be
duplicated for any individual.
(b) A portfolio-preparation incentive of $150 paid by the Department of
Education to each teacher employed by a district school board or a public school
within a school district who is participating in the NBPTS certification program.
The portfolio-preparation incentive is a one-time award paid during the school
year for which the NBPTS fee subsidy is provided.
(c) An annual bonus equal to 10 percent of the prior fiscal year's statewide
average salary for classroom teachers to be distributed to the school district to be
paid to each individual who holds NBPTS certification and is employed by the
district school board or by a public school within the school district. The district
school board shall distribute the annual bonus to each individual who meets the
requirements of this paragraph and who is certified annually by the district to
have demonstrated satisfactory teaching performance pursuant to s. 1012.34.
The annual bonus may be paid as a single payment or divided into not more than
three payments.
(d) An annual bonus equal to 10 percent of the prior fiscal year's statewide
average salary for classroom teachers to be distributed to the school district to be
paid to each individual who meets the requirements of paragraph (c) and agrees,
in writing, to provide the equivalent of 12 workdays of mentoring and related
services to public school teachers within the state who do not hold NBPTS
certification. The district school board shall distribute the annual bonus in a single
payment following the completion of all required mentoring and related services
for the year. It is not the intent of the Legislature to remove excellent teachers
from their assigned classrooms; therefore, credit may not be granted by a school
district or public school for mentoring or related services provided during student
contact time during the 196 days of required service for the school year.
A teacher for whom the state pays the certification fee and who does not
complete the certification program or does not teach in a public school of this
state for at least 1 year after completing the certification program must repay the
amount of the certification fee to the state. However, a teacher who completes
the certification program but fails to be awarded NBPTS certification is not
required to repay the amount of the certification fee if the teacher meets the 1-
year teaching requirement. Repayment is not required of a teacher who does not
complete the certification program or fails to fulfill the teaching requirement
because of the teacher's death or disability or because of other extenuating
circumstances as determined by the State Board of Education.
(3)(a) In addition to any other remedy available under the law, any person who is
a recipient of a certification fee subsidy paid to the NBPTS and who is an
employee of the state or any of its political subdivisions is considered to have
consented, as a condition of employment, to the voluntary or involuntary
withholding of wages to repay to the state the amount of such a certification fee
subsidy awarded under this section. Any such employee who defaults on the
repayment of such a certification fee subsidy must, within 60 days after service of
a notice of default by the Department of Education to the employee, establish a
repayment schedule which must be agreed to by the department and the
employee, for repaying the defaulted sum through payroll deductions. The
department may not require the employee to pay more than 10 percent of the
employee's pay per pay period under such a repayment schedule or plan. If the
employee fails to establish a repayment schedule within the specified period of
time or fails to meet the terms and conditions of the agreed upon or approved
repayment schedule as authorized by this subsection, the employee has
breached an essential condition of employment and is considered to have
consented to the involuntary withholding of wages or salary for the repayment of
the certification fee subsidy.
(b) A person who is employed by the state, or any of its political subdivisions,
may not be dismissed for having defaulted on the repayment of the certification
fee subsidy to the state.
(4) The State Board of Education may adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536 and
120.54 as necessary to administer the provisions for payment of the fee
subsidies, incentives, and bonuses and for the repayment of defaulted
certification fee subsidies under this section.
(5) The Dale Hickam Excellent Teaching Program Trust Fund shall be
administered by the Department of Education pursuant to s. 1010.72.
History.--s. 750, ch. 2002-387; s. 1, ch. 2002-403.
