HB15-1200 Summary

• Creates the "Greatest Resources for Education Are Teachers Act" to establish a grant program providing salary bonuses to highly effective teachers in low-performing schools implementing priority improvement or turnaround plans.

• Provides $4 million one-time appropriation from the state education fund, distributed in two grant cycles beginning in 2016-17, with approximately $2 million per cycle to school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative services.

• Eligible teachers receive nonbase-building salary bonuses of $12,000 if transferring from high-performing schools or $6,000 if remaining in low-performing elementary schools for their second or subsequent consecutive year.

• Grant amounts based on number of eligible highly effective teachers employed; local education providers receiving grants must pay bonuses in addition to any existing incentives; teachers maintain prior service years for salary schedule placement when transferring.

• Department of Education must report to education committees by December 15, 2019 on program implementation, including lists of grant recipients, teacher bonuses paid, student academic growth, and performance plan types implemented at participating schools.