W. Va. Code R. § 126-136-23

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 126-136-23 - [Effective 1/11/2025] Fee Reimbursements and Salary Supplements

23.1. Tuition Reimbursement for Certificate Renewal or Shortage Areas.

23.1.a. W. Va. Code § 18A-3-3a, an educator applying for tuition reimbursement is required to submit documentation that they meet the following criteria: holds either a valid West Virginia Professional Teaching, Student Support, or Administrative Certificate, or one of these Professional Certificates and a First Class Permit for full-time employment seeking an additional endorsement in a shortage area, and resides in the state or is employed regularly for instructional purposes in a West Virginia public school; or is seeking certification renewal, and has a continuing contract with a county board of education or eligible public school employment. Provided, tuition reimbursement is contingent upon available funding through legislative appropriations.

23.1.b. Limitations. Reimbursement for coursework is limited to the cost of tuition, registration, and other required fees for appropriate college/university coursework used for certificate renewal or in a verified shortage area. Reimbursement for an educator who attends an out-of-state IHE (W. Va. Code § 18A-3-3a(d)(2)), or a private IHE is limited to the amount of the highest corresponding tuition charged at a West Virginia state-supported IHE. Reimbursement for coursework completed towards certification renewal or in a shortage area is limited to 15 semester hours of courses. Reimbursement for coursework completed in an area of critical shortage takes precedent over coursework completed for renewal (W. Va. Code § 18A-3-3a(f)). For reimbursement of shortage area coursework, the shortage area must be verified by the county of employment and the educator must have the appropriate IHE coursework with a minimum 3.00 GPA.

23.1.c. Reimbursement Schedule. A request for tuition reimbursement must be received by the WVDE between July 1 and June 15 of each fiscal year for coursework completed during that fiscal year. Tuition reimbursement is provided on a first-come, first-served basis and contingent on available funding. Coursework completed prior to the beginning of a fiscal year will not be considered for state tuition reimbursement.

23.1.d. Third-Party Reimbursement. An educator who receives a tuition and/or fee waiver is not eligible for reimbursement by the WVDE for the tuition/fees covered by the subsidy. Only expenses incurred personally by the educator are reimbursable.

23.2. Reimbursement for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Certification.

23.2.a. The purpose of this reimbursement is to recognize and reward classroom teachers, as defined in W. Va. Code § 18A-1-1, who achieve certification through the NBPTS, by providing financial assistance to participating classroom teachers.

23.2.b. Limitations. The number of teachers reimbursed in any fiscal year is contingent on available funding provided by legislative appropriation for that fiscal year.

23.2.c. Third-Party Reimbursement. A classroom teacher who receives a subsidy from the NBPTS, or any other third-party payer, is not eligible for reimbursement by the WVDE for the fees covered by the subsidy. Only expenses incurred personally by the teacher are reimbursable.

23.2.d. Reimbursement Schedule. For initial NBPTS board certification, a classroom teacher may be reimbursed once for enrollment and once for completion of the NBPTS Certification Program. Program completion shall be defined as the completion of four components verified by the NBPTS. The program must be completed within the general timeframe permitted by the NBPTS unless an extension for program completion is granted by the NBPTS. For NBPTS board certification Maintenance of Certification (MOC), a teacher who successfully maintains the NBPTS certification shall be reimbursed for the NBPTS MOC fees, upon application to the WVDE.

23.2.e. Procedures and processes for NBPTS Fee Reimbursement. (W. Va. Code § 18A-4-2a(d)), fee reimbursements shall be processed and distributed as follows: one-half of the program fee shall be paid for reimbursement once to a teacher enrolled in the NBPTS certification program that submits an application that includes documentation verifying enrollment, the payment for two components, and the registration fee; the remaining one-half of the program fee shall be paid for reimbursement once to a teacher who submits an application that includes documentation verifying payment for the final two components, the registration fee, and submission of all four components to the NBPTS for final scoring. Additionally, MOC fee reimbursement is available for each successful MOC as verified by the NBPTS. An application for fee reimbursement must be received by the WVDE no later than June 15 annually.

23.2.f. Extra expenses reimbursement. A classroom teacher who achieves NBPTS Certification is eligible for reimbursement of the actual expenses incurred for initial National Board Certification only and a maximum of $600.00 for non-durable goods as specified in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines by applying for reimbursement and submitting documentation of the following: NBPTS board certification, as verified by the NBPTS; original receipts for the expenses incurred; and, other documentation that may be required. Any subsidy funding received by a teacher for retake fees is considered as partial or complete payment of the $600.00 allowance permitted for actual expenses incurred.

23.2.g. NBPTS Salary Supplement. A classroom teacher who becomes NBPTS certified shall receive an annual salary supplement of $3,500.00 for the life of the certificate, up to five years for any one certificate, if the teacher's application includes documentation that they have become NBPTS certified and are employed as a public school classroom teacher. The annual salary supplement shall be in addition to any amounts prescribed in the applicable state minimum salary schedule the teacher is entitled to receive, paid in equal monthly installments, and considered a part of the state minimum salaries for teachers. The state salary supplement expires at the same time the NBPTS board certification expires; therefore, a classroom teacher who successfully completes NBPTS MOC Certification is required to apply for a salary supplement renewal.

23.2.h. NBPTS Certificate Recognition without Salary Supplement. An individual who is NBPTS certified but is not currently employed as a classroom teacher in West Virginia public schools, may request recognition of the NBPTS certification with a valid West Virginia Professional Teaching Certificate. The NBPTS salary supplement is only available to employed, fully certified West Virginia public school classroom teachers.

23.3. Reimbursement and Salary Supplement for Professional Personnel with Recognized National Certification in Speech Language Pathology, Counseling, School Psychology, and School Nursing General Criteria.

23.3.a. The purpose of this section is to recognize and reward certain professional personnel, as defined in W. Va. Code § 18A-1-1, holding advanced certification by the ASHA, the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), the West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling (WVBEC), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), or the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN), that meet eligibility criteria (W. Va. Code § 18A-4-2b) by providing a statewide salary supplement and reimbursement program for fees and actual extra expenses incurred toward attainment of their initial advanced certification for professional personnel employed in the public schools as SLPs, counselors, school psychologists, or school nurses.

23.3.b. Limitations for Salary Supplement. The number of SLPs, counselors, school psychologists, or school nurses eligible for an annual salary supplement is limited to 115 combined total for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, with an additional 115 allowable each fiscal year thereafter. The eligible professional personnel shall be determined each fiscal year by ranking: verification of the length of time that advanced certification has been held; the length of time that West Virginia certification in the endorsement area has been held; and, the total months of public-school work experience completed in the endorsement area.

23.3.c. Limitations for Reimbursement. The number of SLPs, counselors, school psychologists, or school nurses eligible, upon attainment of the advanced certification, for reimbursement of the remainder of the application program fee plus other expenses actually incurred toward attainment of the certification shall be limited to no more than 115 combined total for the first fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008, with an additional 115 allowable each fiscal year thereafter. The eligible professional personnel eligible for reimbursement shall be determined each fiscal year by ranking and verification as specified in section 23.3.b. The total number of professional personnel reimbursed in any fiscal year is dependent upon the available funding through legislative appropriation for that fiscal year, but shall not exceed 115 in any fiscal year. Recognition of only one advanced certification shall be allowed for any individual for the purpose of obtaining the fee reimbursement and/or the salary supplement.

23.3.d. Reimbursement and Salary Supplement Schedule. Beginning July 1, 2008, 115 professional personnel as defined in W. Va. Code § 18A-1-1 who hold advanced certification by ASHA, NBCC, WVBEC, NASP, or NBCSN, and employed in the West Virginia public schools, shall be granted an annual salary supplement of $2,500.00 for the life of the advanced certification, or for 10 years for any one certification, whichever expires first, with an additional 115 professional personnel allowable every fiscal year thereafter. Additionally, beginning July 1, 2008, 115 professional personnel as defined in W. Va. Code § 18A-1-1 are eligible for reimbursement of one-half of the fee for advanced certification upon enrollment, and upon attainment of the advanced certification are eligible for reimbursement of the remaining one-half of the fee, plus other expenses actually incurred which are not to exceed $600.00 maximum, toward attainment of the advanced certification, with reimbursement for an additional 115 professional personnel allowable every fiscal year thereafter.

23.3.e. Deadlines. Applications shall be accepted annually from January 1 through September 15 for processing for SLPs, counselors, school psychologists and school nurses. Applications received after the September 15 deadline through December 31 shall be automatically denied for reimbursement and salary supplement. Beginning January 1 annually, applications received by the September 15 deadline for that year will be reviewed and ranked according to the criteria in this section to identify the 115 additional applications eligible for payment during that year. Only candidates employed in West Virginia public schools as an SLP, counselor, school psychologist, or school nurse are eligible for the reimbursement or salary supplement.

23.3.f. Procedures for requesting National Certification Reimbursements. Eligible professional personnel who enroll in, or complete, the initial ASHA, NBCC, WVBEC, NASP, or NBCSN certification is eligible to apply for reimbursement of one-half of the program fee for enrollment and one-half of the fee for completion, a maximum of $600.00 for extra expenses incurred for the initial certification, as specified in the IRS guidelines, by applying for reimbursement and submitting documentation of the following: payment verification of the advanced certification program fee(s); verification that the candidate is enrolled in, or has completed, the advanced certification process; a copy of the ASHA, NBCC, WVBEC, NASP, or NBCSN advanced certificate and other official documentation, as needed, verifying the issuance and expiration dates of the advanced certification with receipts for permitted expenses incurred, if applying for completion fees or extra expenses and verification of the criteria specified in section 23; and other documentation that may be required.

23.3.g. Procedures for requesting National Certification Salary Supplements. Eligible professional personnel who complete advanced ASHA, NBCC, WVBEC, NASP, or NBCSN certification is eligible for the annual salary supplement if their application includes the following documentation: a copy of the ASHA, NBCC, WVBEC, NASP, or NBCSN advanced certificate and other official documentation, as needed, verifying the issuance and expiration dates of the advanced certification; verification of the criteria in accordance with section 23; and, verification of current employment in the West Virginia public schools as a SLP, counselor, school psychologist, or school nurse. The state salary supplement expires at the same time the national certification expires; therefore, a professional who successfully completes a national certification program is required to apply for a salary supplement renewal.

W. Va. Code R. § 126-136-23