§421.11.  Supplements to salaries of school speech-language pathologists and audiologists having certain certificates issued by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association

A.  Effective for the 2003-2004 school year and thereafter, a full-time school speech-language pathologist or audiologist who holds a valid Louisiana credential approved and issued by the state Department of Education, a license approved and issued by the Louisiana Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and a Certificate of Clinical Competence issued by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and who is employed by a school board to provide or coordinate services to students shall receive from the school board, in addition to annual salary, an annual amount of five thousand dollars with such additional amount to be distributed in the same manner as the annual salary provided the amount for such supplement has been appropriated to the state Department of Education for reimbursement pursuant to Subsection C of this Section.

B.(1)  Any school speech-language pathologist or audiologist verified to have been awarded the certificate issued by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association by June thirtieth shall be paid the initial supplement beginning in the school year immediately following such date provided he submits appropriate documentation to the employing school board.

(2)  The school board shall submit the appropriate documentation as required by the Department of Education no later than a date to be determined no later than September 15, 2004, by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for verification of the documentation and in order to receive reimbursement as provided in Subsection C of this Section.

C.  Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose, the amount of the salary supplement provided by a school board to a school speech-language pathologist or audiologist pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be reimbursed to the school board annually by the state Department of Education out of funds appropriated for such purpose.  However, no such reimbursement shall exceed five thousand dollars per year per school speech-language pathologist or audiologist.

D.  In addition to any other requirements of this Section, to receive the salary supplement provided by this Section for the fall school term of the 2003-2004 school year, an otherwise eligible person shall have been awarded the initial certificate issued by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association before July 1, 2003, and shall provide such documentation of validity to the school board prior to September 1, 2003.

E.  The salary supplement of any school speech-language pathologist or audiologist authorized by this Section shall continue for a period not to exceed the term of the national certificate as determined by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association, which is a certificate that is renewed annually.  However, such supplement shall continue in effect without interruption as long as the school speech-language pathologist or audiologist provides to the school board documentation of certificate renewal by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.

F.(1)  The supplements provided for in this Section shall be implemented over a three-year period as follows:

(a)  Those who are entitled to a supplement under this Section in the 2003-2004 school year shall receive one thousand dollars.

(b)  Those who are entitled to a supplement under this Section in the 2004-2005 school year shall receive two thousand five hundred dollars.

(c)  Those who are entitled to a supplement under this Section in the 2005-2006 school year and thereafter shall receive the supplement otherwise provided for in this Section.

(2)  The provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection for implementation of payments shall not extend the period of eligibility to receive payments.

G.  For the purposes of this Section, "school board" shall mean the governing authority of any public elementary or secondary school.

Acts 2003, No. 952, §1, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2004, No. 243, §1, eff. June 15, 2004.

NOTE:  See Acts 2003, No. 952, §2, relative to implementation of the Act and eligibility for the salary supplement.