OAR 584-200-0110: Disbursements of the National Board Certification Fund

(1) Pursuant to ORS 342.122, the Commission may disburse moneys from the National Board Certification Fund to applicants for reimbursement of the direct costs of seeking and obtaining national board certification, including reimbursement for the costs of each of the components necessary for certification and reimbursement for costs related to participating in a cohort for certification. (2) Definitions : For the purposes of 584-200-0005 to 584-200-0110. (a) Cohort : An approved program for candidates going through the NBPTS certification process, including: (A) Orientation Program : A program designed to assist novice NBCT candidates with the certification process. The focus of the program is to provide teachers with introductory information, including foundations, strategies for success, and process mapping. (B) Cohort Program : A program of facilitated support for candidates participating in their first NBPTS certification process. As part of a cohort, candidates receive support, coaching, instruction, and feedback from trained facilitators and other colleagues; and (C) Maintenance Program : A program designed to assist renewing NBCT candidates with the certification process. The focus of the program is to provide teachers with information on maintaining their certification, including strategies for success and process mapping. (b) Component : A required portfolio section of the National Board Certification process that is designed to demonstrate accomplished practice related to: content knowledge, differentiation in Instruction, teaching practice and learning environment, and being an effective and reflective practitioner. (c) National Board Certification of Teachers (NBCT) : An advanced professional certification for teachers based on the NBPTS standards. (d) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) : A professional board established to award a National Teaching Certificate to qualified educators. (e) Public Educational Program : Includes prekindergarten programs operated by public schools and funded with public moneys, public K-12 schools, public K-12 charter schools, school districts, and education service districts. (f) Reauthorization fee : A fee assessed by NBPTS to reinstate a candidate. A candidate must be reinstated when they miss an assessment center testing appointment or fail to cancel the appointment within 24 hours. (g) Registration or cycle fee : A fee assessed by NBPTS once per assessment cycle. (h) Retake fee : A fee assessed by NBPTS for each portion of a component that a candidate elects to retake. (i) Returned check fee : A fee assessed by NBPTS if a personal check is returned for non-sufficient funds. (j) Teaching assignment : An assignment in a public educational program for purposes of delivering classroom instruction or instructional support. A teaching assignment may include an assignment as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), teacher mentor, cooperating teacher, part-time teacher, and long-term substitute. A teaching assignment does not include an assignment as an administrator, school counselor, school social worker, school psychologist, student teacher, intern, teacher’s assistant, or a post-secondary instructor. (3) Eligible Teachers : To be eligible for reimbursement of National Board Certification of Teachers (NBCT) expenses, a teacher must: (a) Hold an active and valid non-provisional Oregon teaching license; (b) Be employed in an Oregon public educational program in a teaching assignment at the time that the eligible expense is incurred and at the time of reimbursement; and (c) Have been granted an initial NBCT certification or a maintenance NBCT certification after July 1, 2017. NOTE: Eligible teachers may be reimbursed for eligible expenses that occurred prior to July 1, 2017 if the certification associated with the expenses was granted after July 1, 2017. (4) Timing of Reimbursement: The applicant may receive reimbursement for the actual, direct and eligible NBCT expenses after the applicant has obtained the applicable: (a) Initial NBCT certification; or (b) Maintenance NBCT certification. (5) Limitations on Reimbursement Costs: The applicant may receive a reimbursement for actual, direct and eligible expenses for NBCT certification, including: (a) $2,600 for the total expenses for initial NBCT certification, not to exceed: (A) $300 for eligible orientation program expenses; (B) $400 for eligible cohort program expenses; and (C) $1,900 for eligible component expenses. (b) $1,450 for the total expenses for the maintenance NBCT certification, not to exceed: (A) $100 for eligible orientation program expenses; (B) $100 for eligible cohort expenses; and (C) $1,250 for eligible component expenses. (6) Orientation, Cohort and Maintenance Program Expenses: To be eligible for reimbursement of the direct costs of an orientation, cohort or maintenance programs, the applicant must provide evidence acceptable to the Commission that the program was: (a) Facilitated by at least one person who has been trained in the current certification process by NBPTS or by an institution with a NBPTS agreement; (b) Approved by the Commission; and (c) Successfully completed by the candidate. NOTE: Providers of cohort programs are not eligible for direct disbursements from the National Board Certification Fund. Oregon school districts, Oregon education service districts, Oregon state agencies or Oregon public charter schools may request reimbursement on behalf of an eligible teacher, as provided in subsection (8). (7) Component Expenses: To be eligible for reimbursement for the direct costs of components, an applicant must provide evidence acceptable to the Commission that completion of the component resulted in the issuance an initial NBCT certification or a maintenance NBCT certification. (8) Reimbursements to Public Bodies : An Oregon school district, Oregon education service district, Oregon state agency or Oregon public charter school which has paid for the orientation program, cohort program, or component expenses on behalf of an eligible Oregon public school teacher to initially obtain National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification may apply for reimbursement of those expenses, as provided: (a) Applications for reimbursement of costs from an Oregon school district, Oregon education service district, Oregon state agency or Oregon public charter school must be endorsed and signed by the teacher for whom the reimbursement is being requested; (b) A reimbursement to an Oregon school district, Oregon education service district, Oregon state agency or Oregon public charter school pursuant to this subsection will render the teacher ineligible for reimbursement from the National Board Certification Fund for the same costs; (c) The Oregon school district, Oregon education service district, Oregon state agency or Oregon public charter school is subject to the limitations on reimbursement of expenses, as provided in subsections (4), (5) and (9)(a)- (h), applicable to the teacher that endorses and signs the reimbursement form. (9) Ineligible Expenses: An applicant may not be reimbursed for all NBCT expenses. Ineligible NBCT expenses include, but are not limited to: (a) Registration or cycle fees; (b) Component retake fees; (c) Returned check fees; (d) Any fees refunded or waived by NBPTS; (e) Reauthorization fees; (f) Travel expenses; (g) Any expenses incurred to attain academic credit(s) that are not specifically attributable to direct costs for components, orientation programs, cohort programs and maintenance programs; (h) Costs over the fee limitations, as provided in subsection (5); and (i) Any expenses reimbursed to the educator by an Oregon public entity, except as provided in subsection (8).