S105 - 2021 Appropriations Act. (SL 2021-180)

Overview: Section 7A.2 of S.L. 2021-180 codifies a salary supplement for highly qualified teaching graduates. Highly qualified teaching graduates (graduates) are defined as those entering the teaching profession who graduated from an approved educator preparation program located in the State with (i) a grade point average of 3.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) and (ii) a certain score on an edTPA assessment or an equivalent assessment used to determine clinical practice performance. Graduates are paid supplements equivalent to the salary of a teacher with (i) three years of experience when teaching at a low-performing school during the first three years of teaching, (ii) two years of experience while teaching in the areas of special education, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics during the first two years of teaching, and (iii) one year of experience during the first year of teaching in all other teaching assignments.

This section became effective July 1, 2021, and applies to graduates hired on or after that date.