2010 Tennessee Code
Title 49 - Education
Chapter 5 - Personnel
Part 52 - Career Ladder for Teachers
49-5-5212 - Supplement payments to teachers and educators.

49-5-5212. Supplement payments to teachers and educators.

(a)  All supplements due to teachers under part 50, this part and parts 53-55 of this chapter shall be paid directly by the department of education to the LEA and shall be in addition to its foundation entitlement program, and not a part of the program.

(b)  Once determined, the state salary supplement for career level teachers shall remain constant, notwithstanding any increased training and experience attained, except the salary supplements for career level II and career level III teachers may be increased, as applicable, if the teacher chooses an eleven- or twelve-month contract.

(c)  All supplements shall be subject to the availability of funds as appropriated in each year's general appropriations act.

(d)  Any person receiving a salary supplement under part 50, this part and 53-55 of this chapter shall continue to receive the state-base pay to which the person would be entitled if the person were not receiving a salary supplement provided for in this section. In devising its local salary schedule, an LEA may not reduce or freeze the pay of any person receiving a salary supplement under part 50, this part and parts 53-55 of this chapter, but such person shall receive any local pay to which teachers with similar training and experience are otherwise entitled.

(e)  If the usual term of a teacher's employment extends to eleven (11) or twelve (12) months, and the state and local base pay of the teacher is paid for each of these months, the teacher shall be eligible only for that portion of the supplement provided for in part 50, this part and parts 53-55 of this chapter that represents a reward for outstanding performance, and not that portion that represents compensation for the eleventh or twelfth month of service that the teacher would not otherwise perform.

(f)  In order to ensure that no federal funds used to pay a teacher are withheld due to payments made under part 50, this part and parts 53-55 of this chapter, any payment made under part 50, this part and parts 53-55 of this chapter to a teacher whose base compensation is paid from federal funds shall be limited, to the extent necessary, to those funds that constitute the supplement for outstanding performance and not those funds that, in the case of a teacher on an eleven- or twelve-month contract, constitute compensation for work performed during that month.

(g)  Any educator who applies for career level I, II, or III after November 30, 1984, shall receive the career ladder supplement beginning the year after the educator completes all requirements for such certification.

[Acts 1984 (1st E.S.), ch. 7, § 37; 1985, ch. 465, § 13; 1986, ch. 933, §§ 3-5; 1987, ch. 308, § 60; 1988, ch. 777, § 7; 1993, ch. 62, § 1.]