(1) Certificated instructional staff who have attained certification from the national board for professional teaching standards shall receive a bonus each year in which they maintain the certification. The bonus shall be calculated as follows: The annual bonus shall be five thousand dollars in the 2007-08 school year. Thereafter, the annual bonus shall increase by inflation.

     (2) Certificated instructional staff who have attained certification from the national board for professional teaching standards shall be eligible for bonuses in addition to that provided by subsection (1) of this section if the individual is in an instructional assignment in a school in which at least seventy percent of the students qualify for the free and reduced-price lunch program.

     (3) The amount of the additional bonus under subsection (2) of this section for those meeting the qualifications of subsection (2) of this section is five thousand dollars.

     (4) The bonuses provided under this section are in addition to compensation received under a district's salary schedule adopted in accordance with RCW 28A.405.200 and shall not be included in calculations of a district's average salary and associated salary limitations under RCW 28A.400.200.

     (5) The bonuses provided under this section shall be paid in a lump sum amount.

[2008 c 175 § 2; 2007 c 398 § 2.]

NOTES:

     Findings -- 2007 c 398: "The legislature finds and declares:

     (1) The national board for professional teaching standards has established high and rigorous standards for what highly accomplished teachers should know and be able to do in order to increase student learning results;

     (2) The national board certifies teachers who meet these standards through a rigorous, performance-based assessment process;

     (3) A certificate awarded by the national board attests that a teacher has met high and rigorous standards and has demonstrated the ability to make sound professional judgments about how to best meet students' learning needs and effectively help students meet challenging academic standards; and

     (4) Teachers who attain national board certification should be acknowledged and rewarded in order to encourage more teachers to pursue certification for the benefit of Washington students." [2007 c 398 § 1.]