(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the rigorous standards and processes for certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) helps to promote the quality of teaching and learning. Therefore, classroom teachers in the public schools of West Virginia should be encouraged to achieve national board certification through a reimbursement of expenses and an additional salary bonus which reflects their additional certification, to be paid in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(b) (1) Three thousand five hundred dollars shall be paid annually to each classroom teacher who holds a valid certificate issued by the National Board of for Professional Teaching Standards for the life of the certification, but in no event more than ten years for any one certification.
(2) Three thousand five hundred dollars shall be paid annually to each classroom teacher who holds a valid renewal certificate issued by the National Board of for Professional Teaching Standards for the life of the renewal certificate, but in no event more than ten years for any one renewal certificate.