SB 5737
In CommitteeSenate
National board bonuses
Suspending the national board for professional standards certification bonuses for certificated instructional staff.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill suspends all National Board Certification bonuses for the 2025–26 through 2028–29 school years, ending payments that previously rewarded teachers for maintaining advanced teaching certification—especially those working in schools with high poverty rates. The suspension applies regardless of eligibility criteria that existed before.
- Suspends all National Board Certification bonuses for the 2025–26, 2026–27, 2027–28, and 2028–29 school years.
- Maintains the existing bonus structure for prior years: $5,000 base bonus (adjusted for inflation, except during 2013–14 and 2014–15) for teachers who maintain National Board Certification.
- Allows an additional $5,000 bonus for teachers working in schools serving high numbers of low-income students (previously called 'high poverty schools'), but only for the 2024–25 and 2025–26 school years—though the suspension overrides this for 2025–26.
- Bonuses are paid as a lump sum and do not count toward average salary calculations used for district salary caps.
Who is affected
- Certificated instructional staff (teachers) with National Board Certification — Teachers who hold National Board Certification and work in schools with high percentages of low-income students may have received extra bonuses in prior years, but will not receive any bonuses for the 2025–26 school year or the next four years.
- Public school districts — School districts that previously provided or planned to provide these bonuses will no longer be required to do so for the 2025–26 school year and beyond, potentially affecting staffing incentives in high-poverty schools.
- Students and families in high-poverty schools — Families and students in high-poverty schools may be impacted if the bonuses were used to attract or retain highly qualified teachers, though the bill does not change teacher qualifications—only bonus payments.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for concerns
Potential Benefits (1)
The state saves approximately $5,000 per eligible teacher annually for four years, which helps close budget gaps and reduces pressure on general fund spending—potentially preserving other education funding. However, the savings are modest relative to the overall K–12 budget and do not significantly improve fiscal sustainability on their own.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1, subsection (6)
Potential Concerns (5)
Suspension of National Board Certification bonuses eliminates a financial incentive for teachers—especially those in high-poverty schools—to obtain and maintain advanced certification, potentially reducing teacher retention and recruitment in schools serving low-income students. This could exacerbate teacher shortages and instability in the most underserved schools, where experienced, highly qualified teachers are most needed.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1, subsection (6)The $5,000 bonus (plus $5,000 for high-poverty schools) was a meaningful financial reward for teachers who completed a rigorous, self-funded certification process; eliminating it disproportionately affects mid-career teachers in high-need schools who invested time and money into certification but now receive no compensation for it.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1, subsection (6)Reduced teacher retention in high-poverty schools may increase student instability and disrupt learning continuity, which can negatively affect school climate and long-term student outcomes—including reduced academic engagement and increased behavioral issues—ultimately impacting public safety in communities with already elevated risk factors.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1, subsection (6)The suspension undermines the state’s prior investment in teacher quality and equity, as the National Board Certification program was explicitly designed to improve teaching quality in high-need schools; removing the bonus may reverse progress toward closing opportunity gaps.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 1, subsection (6)While districts save money, the suspension may increase long-term staffing costs due to higher turnover, recruitment, and training expenses in high-poverty schools—costs that may outweigh the short-term savings, especially if districts must rely more heavily on substitute teachers or less-experienced staff.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1, subsection (6)
Who Is Most Affected
Teachers who hold National Board Certification—especially those in high-poverty schools—will lose a significant financial incentive ($5,000–$10,000 annually) for completing a demanding, self-initiated professional development process. This may discourage future teachers from pursuing certification and reduce retention of experienced educators in high-need schools.
School districts in high-poverty areas may face greater difficulty retaining highly qualified teachers, potentially increasing turnover-related costs and destabilizing school leadership and instruction. While districts save on bonus payouts, they may face higher long-term recruitment and retention costs.
Students in high-poverty schools may experience reduced access to highly qualified, certified teachers, which could widen achievement gaps and reduce academic outcomes. The loss of a key equity-focused incentive may erode progress toward educational equity.
The state’s investment in teacher quality and equity through the National Board program is effectively rolled back. While this reduces short-term expenditures, it may increase long-term costs related to teacher recruitment, turnover, and student interventions.