Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-02-.02 - SALARY SCHEDULES

(1) The State Board shall adopt an annual minimum salary schedule for all licensed personnel, which shall apply to every LEA. The state minimum salary schedule shall be based on a combination of experience and academic training. Local boards of education shall adopt a salary schedule that meets the requirements of the minimum salary schedule adopted by the State Board

(2) Local boards of education shall adopt a salary schedule based on a combination of experience and academic training or may propose an alternative salary schedule for approval by the State Board and the Commissioner of Education. Alternative salary schedules proposed for approval must meet the criteria outlined in the State Board's Strategic Compensation Policy 5.600.

(3) The state minimum salary schedule and local salary schedules shall not be applicable to substitute personnel. In the case where a licensed teacher is serving as a substitute for a regular teacher on leave whose accumulated leave has not been exhausted, the school system may compensate the licensed educator as a substitute.

(4) If a local school board adopts a salary schedule based in part on experience, the types of verified experiences that may be recognized may include, but not be limited to:

(a) Local school boards, at their discretion, may recognize the following types of work-related experience including, but not limited to:

1. Verified administrative, supervisory, and/or teaching experience in a public school or an approved non-public school, schools approved by recognized accrediting agencies, or approved by the Tennessee Department of Education, or any Pre-K program funded by the Tennessee Department of Education;

(b) Verified teaching experience in a pre-K-12 school operated by the United States government either within or outside the United States;

(c) Verified teaching experience in a regionally accredited institution of higher education;

(d) Verified teaching experience as a part of a visiting teacher program authorized by the United States government or a foreign ministry of education;

(e) Verified experience as a professional employee of the State Board of Education, the State Department of Education, and/or the Comptroller's Office of Educational Accountability (OREA);

(f) Verified active military service in the armed forces of the United States; or

(g) Verified professional work experience in the fields typically held by school service personnel (audiology, speech-language pathologist, psychology, social worker, counselor) in a setting other than a public or non-public school.

(5) If a local school board adopts a salary schedule based in part on training, the following shall apply:

(a) For college or university course work completed after the start of the current school year but before September 1, the salary rating shall be adjusted as of September 1 of the current school year. The employee must notify the LEA of the employee's intent to complete course work prior to Aug. 31, and the LEA must file documentation of changes to the employee's salary rating with the Department on or before October 15 of the current school year.

(b) For college or university course work completed after August 31, but before January 1 of the current school year, the salary rating shall be adjusted as of January 1 of the current school year. The employee must notify the LEA of the employee's intent to complete course work prior to Jan. 1. The LEA must file documentation of changes to the employee's salary rating with the Department on, or before, February 15 of the current school year.

(6) The individual educator shall provide evidence of experience and training to the LEA for verification and approval.

(7) Pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-3-306, each LEA shall develop, adopt, and implement a differentiated pay plan in compliance with the State Board's Strategic Compensation Policy 5.600. Each differentiated pay plan shall be designed to aid in staffing hard-to-staff subject areas and schools and in hiring and retaining highly qualified teachers.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-02-.02

Original rule certified June 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 10, 1974; effective July 10, 1974. Amendment filed June 30, 1975; effective July 30, 1975. Amendment filed July 15, 1976; effective August 15, 1976. Amendment filed February 28, 1978; effective March 30, 1978. Amendment filed January 9, 1979; effective February 23, 1979. Amendment filed and new rule filed October 15, 1979; effective January 8, 1980. Amendment filed April 14, 1980; effective May 28, 1980. Amendment filed November 13, 1981; effective March 16, 1982. Amendment filed June 4, 1982; effective September 30, 1982. Amendment filed August 17, 1983; effective November 14, 1983. Amendment filed August 20, 1984; effective November 13, 1984. Amendment filed September 26, 1985; effective December 14, 1985. Repeal and new rule filed May 8, 1986; effective June 27, 1986. Amendment filed September 20, 1987; effective December 22, 1987. Amendment filed October 18, 1988; effective January 1989. Amendment filed November 9, 1989; effective February 28, 1990. Amendment filed July 11, 1990; effective October 29, 1990. Repeal and new rule filed March 16, 1992; effective June 29, 1992. Amendment filed January 21, 1994; effective May 31, 1994. Amendment filed August 7, 1995; effective December 29, 1995. Amendment filed October 11, 1995; effective February 28, 1996. Amendment filed May 19, 2005; effective September 28, 2005. Amendment filed December 28, 2005; effective April 28, 2006. Amendment filed January 5, 2006; effective May 31, 2006. Amendment filed February 24, 2010; effective July 29, 2010. Amendments filed October 7, 2016; effective January 5, 2017. Amendments filed December 23, 2016; effective March 23, 2017. Amendments filed August 20, 2020; effective 11/18/2020.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 49-1-302, 49-1-302(a)(5), 49-3-306, 49-5-402, and 49-6-101.