Cost Reimbursement/Salary Supplements

Cost Reimbursement/Salary Supplements. Policy and procedure salary supplements and process cost reimbursement for master teacher certificates, national certified school counselors and certificate of clinical competence for speech pathologists and audiologists and national school nurse certification. Introduction. The maximum salary supplement for any individual under this policy is limited to $6,000 per school year. 1. MASTER TEACHER CERTIFICATE - $6,000 SALARY SUPPLEMENT The term teacher is defined to include any teacher who is required by law to obtain a teacher's license from the Mississippi Board of Education and is assigned to an instructional area of work as defined by the State Department of Education the equivalent of a minimum of three (3) normal periods per school day. A teacher will receive the full $6,000 salary supplement if the certificate is awarded to the teacher prior to October 15 and the teacher's district time is reported as 100 percent on the district personnel report. The teacher will be entitled to a prorated salary supplement of $3,000 beginning with the second school term if the certificate is awarded after October 15 but prior to February 15 of the school year and the teacher's district time is reported as 100 percent on the district personnel report. The salary supplement will be prorated when the reported district time is less than 100%. The employer must establish a process that identifies all teachers who have successfully obtained the Master Teacher Certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Upon identifying those teachers, the employer must submit a letter to the Office of Financial Accountability requesting funds to pay the salary supplement. The letter must list the name, social security number, percent of district time as reported on the personnel report and the amount of salary supplement for each teacher for which the employer is requesting funds. For teachers who the salary supplement is being initially requested, the employer must provide a copy of the candidate notification letter contained in the Candidate Score Report and, when available, a copy of the Master Teacher Certificate both of which are issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. 2. MASTER TEACHER CERTIFICATE - PROCESS COST REIMBURSEMENT The employer must establish a system that identifies all teachers that have completed the process of acquiring the Master Teacher Certificate, regardless of whether or not the teacher successfully obtained the certification. The employer must submit a letter to the Office of Financial Accountability requesting reimbursement for the teacher for the cost of completing the process. A copy of the candidate notification letter contained in the Candidate Score Report issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards along with proof of expenditure (canceled check or receipt from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards) must accompany the letter. 3. NATIONAL CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELOR - $6,000 SALARY SUPPLEMENT From and after July 1, 1999, any licensed school counselor who has met the requirements and acquired a National Certified School Counselor endorsement for the National Board of Certified Counselors shall receive a $6,000 salary supplement. The individual must be employed as a counselor and not as an administrator by a local school board, the Mississippi Board of Education or a state supported university or college when such institution is providing a program of education in accordance with Section 37-23-31, Mississippi Code of 1972 (Ann.). The term counselor is defined to include any individual who is required by law to obtain a license with a school counselor endorsement from the Mississippi Board of Education and, when employed by a local school board, is assigned the majority of the day (the equivalent of a minimum of three (3) normal periods) in one or more of the following Course/Work Areas as defined in Appendix A of the Personnel/Accreditation Reference Manual: a. 601006 Counselor, Vocational b. 601005 Counselor, Non -Vocational, Elementary c. 601107 Counselor, Non -Vocational, Secondary The equivalent of such course areas is required when the individual is employed by the Mississippi Board of Education or a state supported university or college when such institution is providing a program of education in accordance with Section 37-23-31, Mississippi Code of 1972 (Ann.). When a counselor is assigned the majority of the day (the equivalent of a minimum of three (3) normal periods) to course/work areas other than those outlined above, a letter from the employer must be submitted to verify that the counselor is working directly with children. The counselor will receive the full $6,000 salary supplement if the certificate is awarded to the counselor prior to October 15 and the counselor's district time is reported as 100 percent on the district personnel report. The counselor will be entitled to a prorated salary supplement of $3,000 beginning with the second school term if the certificate is awarded after October 15 but prior to February 15 of the school year and the counselor's district time is reported as 100 percent on the district personnel report. The salary supplement will be prorated when the reported district time is less than 100%. The employer must establish a process that identifies all counselors that have successfully obtained the National Certified School Counselor certification from the National Board of Certified Counselors. The employer must submit a letter to the Office of Financial Accountability requesting funds to pay the salary supplement. The letter must list the name, social security number, percent of district time as reported on the personnel report and the amount of salary supplement for each counselor for which funds are being requested. For counselors who the employer is requesting a salary supplement, the employer must provide a copy of the certificate awarded by the National Board of Certified Counselors (if not previously provided), and an official letter of verification from the National Board of Certified Counselors stating that the certificate is valid for the school year for which funds are being requested. 4. NATIONAL CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELOR -- PROCESS COST REIMBURSEMENT The counselor shall be reimbursed one (1) time for the actual cost, not to exceed $500, of completing the process of acquiring the National Certified School Counselor certification from the National Board of Certified Counselors, regardless of whether or not the counselor successfully obtained the certification. The reimbursement shall not include any cost incurred for postgraduate work by the counselor. The employer, an individual or entity may pay the cost of completing the process on behalf of the counselor. However, the Department of Education shall only reimbursement the employer. If an individual or entity has paid the cost of completing the process for the counselor, the employer may agree to directly reimburse the individual or entity for such cost on behalf of the teacher. If the cost of completing the process is paid by the employer, an individual or entity and the counselor fails to complete the process, the counselor shall be liable to the employer, individual or entity for all amounts paid on behalf of the counselor. The employer must establish a system that identifies all counselors that have completed the process of acquiring the National Certified School Counselor certification from the National Board of Certified Counselors. Upon identifying those counselors, the employer must submit a letter to the Office of Financial Accountability requesting reimbursement for the counselor for the cost of completing the process. Proof of expenditure (canceled check or receipt from the National Board of Certified Counselors) must accompany the letter. 5. CERTIFICATE OF CLINICAL COMPETENCE FOR SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS -- $6,000 SALARY SUPPLEMENT From and after July 1, 1999, any licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist who has met the requirements and acquired a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association shall receive a $6,000 salary supplement. The individual must be employed as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, and not as an administrator, by a local school board, the Mississippi Board of Education or a state supported university or college when such institution is providing a program of education in accordance with Section 37- 23-31, Mississippi Code of 1972 (Ann.). The terms speech- language pathologist and audiologist are defined to include any individual who is required by law to obtain a license with a speech pathologist or audiologist endorsement from the Mississippi Board of Education and is assigned the majority of the day (the equivalent of a minimum of three (3) normal periods) in one or more of the following Course/Work Areas as defined in Appendix A of the Personnel/Accreditation Reference Manual: a. 131012 Audiologist b. 132001 Early Childhood c. 132002 Language/Speech Therapy d. 132003 Language Impaired/Other Combination e. 132004 Hearing Impaired/Other Combination f. 132010 Elementary (K-8) Specific Learning Disability (SLD)/Other Combinations g. 132011 Secondary (7-12) Specific Learning Disability (SLD)/Other Combinations h. 132020 Home/Hospital (HH) i. 132021 Special Education/ Assessment Team Member j. 132023 Infant and Toddler k. 132024 Elementary DD/Other Combinations The equivalent of such course areas is required when the individual is employed by the Mississippi Board of Education or a state supported university or college when such institution is providing a program of education in accordance with Section 37-23-31, Mississippi Code of 1972 (Ann.). When a speech language pathologist or audiologist is assigned the majority of the day (the equivalent of a minimum of three (3) normal periods) to course/work areas other than those outlined above, a letter from the employer must be submitted to verify that the speech language pathologist or audiologist is working directly with children. The speech-language pathologist or audiologist will receive the full $6,000 salary supplement if the certificate is awarded to the speech-language pathologist and audiologist prior to October 15 and the speech-language pathologist's or audiologist's district time is reported as 100 percent on the district personnel report. The speech- language pathologist or audiologist will be entitled to a prorated salary supplement of $3,000 beginning with the second school term if the certificate is awarded after October 15 but prior to February 15 of the school year and the speech-language pathologist=s or audiologist's district time is reported as 100 percent on the district personnel report. The salary supplement will be prorated when the reported district time is less than 100%. The employer must establish a process that identifies all speech-language pathologists and audiologists who have successfully obtained the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. The employer must submit a letter to the Office of Financial Accountability requesting funds to pay the salary supplement. The letter must list the name, social security number, percent of district time as reported on the personnel report and the amount of salary supplement for each speech-language pathologist or audiologist for which funds are being requested. For speech-language pathologists and audiologists who the employer is requesting a salary supplement, the employer must provide a copy of the certificate awarded by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (if not previously provided), and a copy of the certification card issued by the American Speech- Language Hearing Association indicating that the certificate is valid for the school year for which funds are being requested. 6. CERTIFICATE OF CLINICAL COMPETENCE FOR SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS -- PROCESS COST REIMBURSEMENT Each speech-language pathologist or audiologist shall be reimbursed one (1) time for the actual cost, not to exceed $500, of completing the process of acquiring the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, regardless of whether or not each speech-language pathologist and audiologist successfully obtained the certification. The reimbursement shall not include any cost incurred for postgraduate work by each speech- language pathologist or audiologist. The employer, an individual or entity may pay the cost of completing the process on behalf of each speech-language pathologist or audiologist. However, the Department of Education shall only reimbursement the employer. If an individual or entity has paid the cost of completing the process for each speech-language pathologist or audiologist, the employer may agree to directly reimburse the individual or entity for such cost on behalf of the teacher. If the cost of completing the process is paid by the employer, an individual or entity and the speech- language pathologist or audiologist fails to complete the process, the speech- language pathologist or audiologist shall be liable to the employer, individual or entity for all amounts paid on behalf of each speech-language pathologist or audiologist. The employer must establish a system that identifies each speech-language pathologist and each audiologist who have completed the process of acquiring the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Upon identifying each speech- language pathologist and audiologist, the employer, must submit a letter to the Office of Financial Accountability requesting reimbursement for each speech-language pathologist and audiologist for the cost of completing the process. Proof of expenditure (canceled check or receipt from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association) must accompany the letter. 7. NATIONAL CERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE - $6,000 SALARY SUPPLEMENT From and after July 1, 2004, any licensed nurse who has met the requirements and acquired a National Certified School Nurse certification from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, Inc. shall receive a $6,000 salary supplement. The individual must be employed as a school nurse and not as an administrator by a local school board, the Mississippi Board of Education or a state supported university or college when such institution is providing a program of education in accordance with Section 37-23-31, Mississippi Code of 1972 (Ann.) Provided, however, that the total number of licensed school nurses eligible for a salary supplement shall not exceed twenty (20). This will be determined by the time and date that the complete request is received by the Office of Financial Accountability from the school district. A complete application will list the name, social security number, percent of district time as reported on the personnel report, the amount of salary supplement for each school nurse and a copy of the National School Nurse Certificate issued to the individual teacher. Incomplete applications will not be recognized as received by the Office of Financial Accountability and the local school district will be duly notified. The school nurse will receive the full $6,000 salary supplement if the certificate is awarded to the school nurse prior to October 15 and the school nurse's district time is reported as 100 percent on the district personnel report. The school nurse will be entitled to a prorated salary supplement of $3,000 beginning with the second school term if the certificate is awarded after October 15 but prior to February 15 of the school year and the school nurse's district time is reported as 100 percent on the district personnel report. The salary supplement will be prorated when the reported district time is less than 100%. The employer must establish a process that identifies all school nurses that have successfully obtained the National Certified School Nurse certification from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, Inc. The employer must submit a letter to the Office of Financial Accountability requesting funds to pay the salary supplement. The letter must list the name, social security number, percent of district time as reported on the personnel report and the amount of salary supplement for each school nurse for which funds are being requested. For school nurses who the employer is requesting a salary supplement, the employer must provide a copy of the certificate awarded by the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, Inc. (if not previously provided), and an official letter of verification from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, Inc. stating that the certificate is valid for the school year for which funds are being requested. 8. NATIONAL CERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE -- PROCESS COST REIMBURSEMENT The school nurse shall be reimbursed one (1) time for the actual cost of completing the process of acquiring the National Certified School Nurse certification from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, Inc., regardless of whether or not the school nurse successfully obtained the certification. The reimbursement shall not include any cost incurred for postgraduate work by the school nurse. The employer, an individual or entity may pay the cost of completing the process on behalf of the school nurse. However, the Department of Education shall only reimbursement the employer. If an individual or entity has paid the cost of completing the process for the school nurse, the employer may agree to directly reimburse the individual or entity for such cost on behalf of the school nurse. If the cost of completing the process is paid by the employer, an individual or entity and the school nurse fails to complete the process, the school nurse shall be liable to the employer, individual or entity for all amounts paid on behalf of the school nurse. The employer must establish a system that identifies all school nurses that have completed the process of acquiring the National Certified School Nurse certification from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, Inc. Upon identifying those school nurses, the employer must submit a letter to the Office of Financial Accountability requesting reimbursement for the school nurse for the cost of completing the process. Proof of expenditure (canceled check or receipt from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, Inc.) must accompany the letter.