TEACHER APPRECIATION GRANTS

TEACHER APPRECIATION GRANTS

po3220.01Adopted February 1, 2002Revised December 9, 2025

3220.01 - TEACHER APPRECIATION GRANTS

The School Board adopts this policy for the benefit of the School Corporation's teachers. The Corporation may apply for and distribute teacher appreciation grant funds as described in this policy.

Definitions:

For purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:

The term "teacher" means a professional person whose position with the Corporation requires a license (as defined in I.C. 20-28-1-7) and whose primary responsibility is the instruction of students.

The term "license" refers to a document issued by the IDOE that grants permission to serve as a particular kind of teacher. The term includes any certificate or permit issued by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE).

Eligibility for Teacher Appreciation Grants:

To be eligible for a grant under the program, the Corporation must:

  1. apply in a manner prescribed by the IDOE;
  2. identify not more than twenty percent (20%) of certified teachers as eligible grant recipients annually based on criteria outlined below;
  3. report how each recipient met the criteria outlined below; and
  4. meet any other requirements established by the IDOE.

Distribution of Annual Teacher Appreciation Grants:

Teacher appreciation grant funds received by the Corporation may be used only to pay stipends within the amounts described below to licensed teachers who meet the following criteria:

  1. have instructed students in the Corporation for at least one (1) school year prior to the grant distribution year;

  2. maintain employment at the Corporation at the time of the grant distribution;

  3. are determined to significantly impact student outcomes using National, State, or local assessment measures; and

  4. are designated in one (1) of the following categories:

    1. meets the criteria for a recognition stipend;

    2. meets the criteria for an exemplary stipend; or

    3. meets the criteria for an exemplary plus stipend.

The following criteria apply in evaluating a teacher for a stipend designation:

  1. For a recognition stipend designation, whether the teacher demonstrates high performance in teaching based on student outcomes.
  2. For an exemplary stipend designation whether the teacher:
     
    1. demonstrates high performance in teaching based on student outcomes; and
    2. meets one (1) of the following:
       
      1. mentors or coaches another teacher to improve student outcomes, or provides instructional leadership to improve student outcomes across multiple classrooms; or
      2. serves in a high need or geographic shortage area as determined by the IDOE based on educator supply and demand.
  3. For an exemplary plus stipend designation, whether the teacher:
     
    1. demonstrates high performance in teaching based on student outcomes;
    2. mentors or coaches another teacher to improve student outcomes, or provides instructional leadership to improve student outcomes across multiple classrooms; and
    3. serves in a high need or geographic shortage area as determined by the IDOE based on educator supply and demand.

The Corporation shall utilize the rubric developed by the IDOE pursuant to I.C. 20-43-16-7.

The Corporation shall distribute the teacher appreciation grant funds as follows.

The amount of the stipend that the Corporation may distribute to a teacher for a State fiscal year under this chapter must be within the following amounts:

  1. For a teacher who receives a stipend for a recognition designation, $3,500.
  2. For a teacher who receives a stipend for an exemplary designation, $5,000.
  3. For a teacher who receives a stipend for an exemplary plus designation, $7,500.

The Corporation shall not allocate a percentage of the Teacher Appreciation Grant funds received to provide a supplemental award to teachers who serve as mentors to teachers who have less than two (2) years of service.

If the Corporation is the local educational agency (LEA) or lead school corporation that administers a special education cooperative or joint services program or a career and technical education program, including programs managed under I.C. 20-26-10, I.C. 20-35-5, I.C. 20-37, or I.C. 36-1-7, then it shall award teacher appreciation grant stipends to and carry out the other responsibilities of an employing school corporation under this section for the teachers in the special education program or career and technical education program with respect to the teacher appreciation grant funds it receives on behalf of those teachers.

A stipend to an individual teacher in a particular year is not subject to collective bargaining and is in addition to the minimum salary or increases in the salary set under I.C. 20-28-9-1.5. The Corporation may discuss with a certificated employee or a group of certificated employees at one or more meetings open to all certificated employees the policy for distribution of teacher appreciation grants.

The Corporation shall distribute all stipends from a teacher appreciation grant to individual teachers within sixty (60) business days of the date the IDOE distributes the teacher appreciation grant funds to the Corporation.

The Corporation shall return any part of the grant not distributed as stipends to teachers not later than June 30 of the applicable State fiscal year.

Revised 8/8/17
Revised 12/12/17
Revised 9/10/19
Revised 1/14/20
Revised 10/13/20
Revised 7/13/21
Reviewed 5/9/23
Revised 10/10/23
Revised 6/11/24

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