ND HB1187

School districts may offer and pay signing bonuses to newly licensed or approved teachers who sign employment contracts.

Signing bonuses can be paid as a lump sum or in installments over a period not to exceed five years from the contract signing date.

Bonuses are separate from negotiated teacher salaries, cannot be included in salary schedules, and do not count toward continuing contract purposes.

Bonuses cannot be paid until the individual is licensed and qualified by the education standards and practices board.

Teachers employed by another North Dakota school district in the prior year are ineligible for bonuses until they have been employed in the district for two years.