Bill > SB61

This bill amends the existing National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program by expanding it to include a new Nationally Certified School Psychologist Program. The bill renames the existing fund to the National Teacher Certification Incentive Reward Program and Nationally Certified School Psychologist Program Fund and broadens its scope to provide financial incentives to both public school teachers and public school psychologists who obtain national certification. Specifically, eligible school psychologists who achieve national certification from the National Association of School Psychologists will now receive the same financial awards previously available only to teachers: an initial state-funded award of $5,000 and subsequent annual awards of $2,500 for the life of their certification. The State Treasurer will continue to manage the fund, which will remain non-reverting, meaning any unspent money at the end of a budget period will stay in the fund rather than returning to the general fund. The Board (presumably the Board of Education) retains the authority to establish guidelines for the program and to determine award amounts if fund resources are insufficient to provide full awards to all eligible educators and psychologists.

Budget and Finance, Education, Health and Social Services

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB61