HCS HB 754, 29, 300 & 505 -- SALARY SUPPLEMENTS FOR NATIONALLY
CERTIFIED TEACHERS

SPONSOR:  Franklin

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Education-Elementary and Secondary by a vote of 19 to 3.

This substitute requires the State Board of Education to create
a program of salary supplements for Missouri-certified public
school teachers, paid on a teaching salary schedule, who attain
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
certification.  The supplements run for 10 years, beginning in
the school year in which the teacher attains certification.  The
annual amount is $5,000.  The supplement is in addition to base
salary, and teachers receiving the salary must receive pay and
benefits comparable to teachers of similar training, experience,
and duties.  Teachers who hold national certification may also
receive a supplement of 10% of their base pay if they act as
mentors for other teachers who are national board certification
candidates.  The substitute contains provisions that clarify the
program's relationship to career ladder, that prescribe the flow
of salary supplement moneys, and that direct the 3 teacher
retirement systems to promulgate rules that facilitate the
inclusion of salary supplements in calculation of retirement
benefits.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Cost to General Revenue Fund of
$220,000 to $593,120 in FY 2002, $425,000 to $1,153,195 in FY
2003, and $630,000 to $1,720,782 in FY 2004.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the national board
certification process is very rigorous and requires not only
content knowledge but also reflection on and analysis of
teaching techniques for their effectiveness.  A recent study
confirmed the positive effect of national board certified
teachers' instruction on their students.  Missouri currently has
44 national board certified teachers.  Some of the witnesses,
while in support of the bill, issued a caveat against thinking
that this bill by itself would solve the problem of teacher
shortages or teacher salaries.

Testifying for HB 29 was Representative Wilson (42).  Testifying
for HB 300 was Representative Ostmann.  Testifying for HB 505
were Representatives Johnson (61) and Carnahan.  Testifying for
HB 754 was Representative Franklin.  The following witnesses
testified in favor of all four bills:  Cooperating School
Districts of Greater St. Louis; Marsha Sisson, Lynda Linneman,
and Stephen Kimball (national board certified teachers); Bert
Schulte, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Columbia
Public Schools; Missouri State Teachers Association; St. Louis
Public Schools Board of Education; Missouri Association for
Career and Technical Education; Missouri Council of School
Administrators; Missouri School Boards Association; Missouri
Federation of Teachers; Missouri National Education Association;
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; Missouri
Speech and Hearing Association; and Governor's Office.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Becky DeNeve, Senior Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:45 am