Timeline & Procedure for Federal Candidate Subsidy Funds

The State of South Carolina has been awarded federal candidate subsidy funds in the amount of $103,745. These funds are provided by the U.S. Congress through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds will be used to support National Board Certification^TM candidates who wish to RETAKE entries in 2010.

Important Guidelines:

Candidates who have previously received federal funds (from any state) are not eligible to receive this funding. (This does not include State funds used for first time candidates through the SC NBC Loan.)
Recipients will be awarded $350 for one retake entry. If a candidate chooses to retake more than one entry, additional retake fees must be paid directly to NBPTS after these funds have been awarded.
Retake candidates must apply for this opportunity by submitting an online application at www.cerra.org. This application will be activated by 5:00 pm on November 20, 2009.
Retake candidates must also complete the National Board retake application online at www.nbpts.org; however, we discourage candidates from sending funds to NBPTS until these federal funds have been awarded. Overpayment may occur and NBPTS requires a written request and 4-6 weeks process refunds.
Funds will be awarded based on current teaching assignments in critical need schools (as approved by the SC Board of Education) to those retake candidates teaching in public K-12 South Carolina classrooms who apply online for an opportunity to receive a federal grant at www.cerra.org and apply online for retakes with National Board at www.nbpts.org by CERRA’s January 6, 2010 deadline.

9:00 a.m., November 20	Availability of Federal Candidate Subsidy Funds announced and information disseminated to all state, district, and regional liaisons; procedures posted on CERRA and NBPTS Web sites.
November 20	NBPTS score reports available online for current candidates.
By 5:00 p.m., November 20	Online application becomes available at www.cerra.org for retake candidates interested in applying for Federal Subsidy Funds. Retake candidates must also complete the National Board retake application online at www.nbpts.org; however, we discourage candidates from sending funds to NBPTS until these federal funds have been awarded. Overpayment may occur and NBPTS requires a written request and 4-6 weeks process refunds.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 5:00 p.m.	Final deadline to submit National Board retake application to NBPTS and Federal Subsidy Funds application to CERRA.
Friday, January 15, 2010, No later than 5:00 p.m.	All applicants for this funding will be notified VIA EMAIL ONLY that they have (or have not) been awarded funding. CERRA will send the transmittal memo to NBPTS with recipients' information to be received by National Board no later than January 31, 2010 PLEASE NOTE: ALL CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO CHECK "MY PROFILE" ON THE NBPTS WEB SITE IN ORDER TO SEE PAYMENTS POSTED ON THE CANDIDATE'S BEHALF. NBPTS REQUIRES 7-14 DAYS TO POST PAYMENTS.