(1) (a) For the 2002-03 budget year, the 2004-05 budget year, and each budget year thereafter, subject to available appropriations, the department of education shall assist persons who are seeking national credentials by paying a portion of the fees charged for such national credential. The general assembly shall annually appropriate, if available, moneys from the state education fund, created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution, to the department of education to be used for the purposes of this section. Fee assistance pursuant to this section shall be available to any person who:

(I) Is seeking a national credential from an approved professional organization as a requirement for or in the course of obtaining master teacher certification pursuant to this article;

(II) Repealed.

(III) Is employed as a teacher in a public school or an approved facility school, as defined in section 22-2-402 (1), in this state at the time of applying for fee assistance pursuant to this section; and

(IV) Applies for national credential fee assistance as provided in this section.

(b) Repealed.

(2) (a) To apply for national credential fee assistance pursuant to this section, a person shall present to the department of education the following items:

(I) Proof that the person has begun the process to obtain the national credential and identification of the national credential program in which the person will participate to obtain the national credential;

(II) Proof that the person has received or will receive national credential fee assistance through a federal assistance program and the amount of such assistance; and

(III) Proof that the person is employed as a teacher at a public school or an approved facility school, as defined in section 22-2-402 (1), in this state at the time of applying for national credential fee assistance.

(b) Following receipt of the items specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) and verification that the person meets the criteria specified in subsection (1) of this section, the department of education shall forward the fee assistance to the identified national credential program on behalf of the person in the amount specified in subsection (1) of this section. The fee assistance shall be paid out of moneys appropriated to the department of education pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section.

(c) If a person who receives fee assistance pursuant to this section does not complete the national credential program for which he or she received such assistance, the national credential program shall refund to the department of education the amount of fee assistance paid on behalf of said person.

(3) (a) The state board of education shall promulgate rules as necessary for the implementation of this section, including but not limited to a rule identifying those nationally recognized professional credentialing organizations that are approved for purposes of this section.

(b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2006, p. 677, § 18, effective April 28, 2006.)

(4) (a) The general assembly recognizes that, to obtain a national credential from an approved professional organization, a teacher must demonstrate excellence in teaching skills and achieve a very high level of performance. The general assembly further recognizes that incentives to encourage teachers to obtain national credentialing will benefit the students of Colorado by encouraging teachers to achieve higher levels of performance. Therefore, the general assembly hereby finds that, for purposes of section 17 of article IX of the state constitution, providing national credential fee assistance to teachers who obtain a national credential from an approved professional organization constitutes a performance incentive for teachers and such teachers may therefore receive funding from the state education fund created in section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution.

(b) Repealed.

(5) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Approved professional organization" means a nationally recognized professional credentialing organization that is approved by rule of the state board of education.

(b) "National credential" means a certification or other form of registration or credential issued by a nationally recognized professional credentialing organization. "National credential" shall include, but need not be limited to, certification by the national board for professional teaching standards.