A. Upon application of a district board of education, the State Board of Education shall authorize an abbreviated day schedule for an alternative school or alternative education program that is or will be administered by the district pursuant to the provisions of this act or for the education provided for students in a residential or treatment facility located within the district. A student enrolled in an alternative school, an alternative education program or receiving educational services in a residential or treatment facility within the district who attends for a full abbreviated day shall be counted in attendance for purposes of computing average daily attendance and average daily membership for the district.

B. A district board of education shall hire only certified teachers to teach in an alternative education program or alternative education school offered by the district or to teach students who are in a residential or treatment facility.

C. A certified teacher in an alternative education program or school shall be paid five percent (5%) more than the designated salary step for that teacher within the adopted salary schedule of the school district.

D. A person providing counseling or social services in an alternative education program or school shall be certified as a school counselor by the State Board of Education or as a mental health provider.

E. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules by which a certified teacher who is qualified to teach in an alternative education program or alternative school as determined by the district board of education offering the alternative education program or alternative school or who teaches students in a residential or treatment facility may be certified to teach subjects in which the teacher does not hold certification. The rules shall provide:

1. The certification may be granted only upon application of a district board of education offering an alternative education program or alternative school pursuant to the provisions of this act or upon application of a district board of education offering a residential or treatment facility; and

2. The teacher's certification in subjects in which the teacher does not otherwise hold certification pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be valid only for purposes of teaching in the alternative education program or alternative school offered by the district board or in a residential or treatment facility located within the district making application.

Added by Laws 1994, c. 290, § 69, eff. July 1, 1994. Amended by Laws 1996, c. 39, § 1, eff. July 1, 1996; Laws 1999, c. 216, § 1, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2002, c. 453, § 6, eff. July 1, 2002; Laws 2014, c. 124, § 25, eff. July 1, 2014; Laws 2019, c. 412, § 2, eff. July 1, 2019.