National Board certification gets cut

April 10th, 2008 | Category: Florida Politics Blog

The House just voted 71-37 for a bill (5083) that saves the state more than $40-million a year - but that education officials say will eventually do absent with the state’s popular bonus program for National Board-certified teachers by diluting incentives to teachers. The Senate passed a similar bill yesterday, with a 35-1 vote.

The legislation does absent with a bonus for certified teachers who mentor other educators, as well as a $2250 application

fee subsidy for teachers who pursue the certification. The Senate version is even more controversial and opposed by the FEA considering it limits the annual 10 percent bonus for board-ecrtified teachers to one 10-year period.

About 10,000 teachers benefited from the program that year, at a cost of $88-million to the state. The changes would cut the state’s tab by $41-million next year.