§ 53A-17a-153. Educator salary adjustments.

(1) As used in this section, "educator" means a person employed by a school district, charter school, or the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind who holds:

(a) a license issued under Title 53A, Chapter 6, Educator Licensing and Professional Practices Act; and

(b) a position as a:

(i) classroom teacher;

(ii) speech pathologist;

(iii) librarian or media specialist;

(iv) preschool teacher;

(v) mentor teacher;

(vi) teacher specialist or teacher leader;

(vii) guidance counselor;

(viii) audiologist;

(ix) psychologist; or

(x) social worker.

(2) In recognition of the need to attract and retain highly skilled and dedicated educators, the Legislature shall annually appropriate money for educator salary adjustments, subject to future budget constraints.

(3) Money appropriated to the State Board of Education for educator salary adjustments shall be distributed to school districts, charter schools, and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind in proportion to the number of full-time-equivalent educator positions in a school district, a charter school, or the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind as compared to the total number of full-time-equivalent educator positions in school districts, charter schools, and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

(4) School districts, charter schools, and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind shall award bonuses to educators as follows:

(a) the amount of the salary adjustment shall be the same for each full-time-equivalent educator position in the school district, charter school, or the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind;

(b) a person who is not a full-time educator shall receive a partial salary adjustment based on the number of hours the person works as an educator; and

(c) salary adjustments may be awarded only to educators who have received a satisfactory rating or above on their most recent evaluation.

(5)

(a) Each school district and charter school and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind shall submit a report to the State Board of Education on how the money for salary adjustments was spent, including the amount of the salary adjustment and the number of full and partial salary adjustments awarded.

(b) The State Board of Education shall compile the information reported under Subsection (5) and submit it to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee by November 30 each year.

(6) The State Board of Education may make rules as necessary to administer this section, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.

(7)

(a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall appropriate sufficient money each year to:

(i) maintain educator salary adjustments provided in prior years; and

(ii) provide educator salary adjustments to new employees.

(b) Money appropriated for educator salary adjustments shall include money for the following employer-paid benefits:

(i) retirement;

(ii) worker's compensation;

(iii) Social Security; and

(iv) Medicare.

(8)

(a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall:

(i) maintain the salary adjustments provided to school administrators in the 2007-08 school year; and

(ii) provide salary adjustments for new school administrators in the same amount as provided for existing school administrators.

(b) The appropriation provided for educator salary adjustments shall include salary adjustments for school administrators as specified in Subsection (8)(a).

(c) In distributing and awarding salary adjustments for school administrators, the State Board of Education, school districts, charter schools, and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind shall comply with the requirements for the distribution and award of educator salary adjustments as provided in Subsections (3) and (4).

Amended by Chapter 3, 2010 General Session