Sen. Ford says state should honor promise to National Board Certified teachers

Senate Education Chairman John Ford is working to restore a $5,000 stipend to Oklahoma teachers whove completed National Board Certification. Ford said ensuring those educators get what was promised is a top priority in the 2012 session.

I believe a promise made is a promise kept, said Ford. These are dedicated educators who have gone above and beyond what is required. In return, they were promised a $5,000 a year bonus for the duration of their National Board Certification. We need to honor that promise.

Ford said National Board Certification is a rigorous program that takes teachers one to three years to complete. According to state statutes, those educators who have completed the process are to receive an annual $5,000 stipend for 10 years, if funding is available. Fords legislation would make it clear that eligible teachers would get their stipends, as promised.

If we dont have the funding to pay the stipend because of budget constraints in the current fiscal year, then those teachers will receive this years payment at the end of their certification period, Ford said. We have about 2, 275 teachers who are currently eligible for the bonus. They did the additional work and kept their end of the bargain. We need to keep our end of the bargain as well.