(a) If a regularly appointed and employed principal, teacher or other employee of a school district is called to the service of or voluntarily enters the armed forces of the United States of America or the National Guard of this State when in continuous active service, the school board shall grant to such principal, teacher or other employee a leave of absence which shall cover the period of military service, not to exceed 3 years, or until the term of service to which he or she has been called is terminated, and upon the completion of the leave of absence reinstate such principal, teacher or other employee in the position which he or she held at the time that the leave of absence was granted. The contract with such principal, teacher or other employee shall continue in force under the same conditions as if the principal, teacher or other employee had been in the continuous service of the board during the period of the leave of absence; provided, such regularly appointed and employed principal, teacher or other employee has received a certificate of satisfactory completion of military service.

(b) Any principal, teacher or other school employee taking a leave of absence authorized by subsection (a) of this section who, as a member of the Delaware National Guard or a United States military reserve organization, has been ordered to active duty to augment active forces for any operational mission, shall continue to receive the principal’s, teacher’s or other school employee’s state compensation during the initial period of active duty prescribed by the military, to be reduced by any military compensation received. While on such leave of absence, for a period not to exceed 2 years, the employee and the employee’s dependents shall continue to receive benefits provided under any applicable group health insurance plan offered by the school district, provided that the employee continues to pay any employee-share premium for such plan. The Department of Human Resources shall develop any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this subsection. These rules shall make it the responsibility of the employee to initiate the claim and supply the required military pay information. The State shall be responsible for collecting information relating to state compensation. Claims shall be filed within 90 days of release from active duty or passage of this legislation, whichever is later.

(c) For the purpose of subsection (b) of this section state compensation shall be limited to the state share of the base salary as calculated from the appropriate salary schedule, administrative supplements and all other stipends. Military compensation shall include base salary, basic allowance for quarters (BAQ), basic allowance for subsistence (BAS), hazardous duty pay and all other supplemental compensation multiplied by the ratio of state compensation to total compensation.

(d) The person who may be appointed to replace the principal, teacher or other employee shall be appointed only for the period covered by the leave of absence.

14 Del. C. 1953, § 1327; 56 Del. Laws, c. 292, § 18; 68 Del. Laws, c. 21, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 73 Del. Laws, c. 429, § 1; 74 Del. Laws, c. 190, § 1; 74 Del. Laws, c. 421, § 1; 75 Del. Laws, c. 88, § 20(2); 75 Del. Laws, c. 234, § 1; 81 Del. Laws, c. 66, § 9.