The Teacher Salary Supplement Program (TSSP) provides qualifying secondary math, science, and computer science teachers with an annual salary bonus of up to $4,100. The program was established in 2008 to incentivize teachers in these fields. In 2014, the Utah State Board of Education took over administration of the program from the Department of Human Resource Management. In 2015, computer science was added as an eligible subject area. The program qualifications and funding are outlined in Utah statute.

1. Teacher
Supplemental
Salary
Program
TSSP

2. TSS
PThe Teacher Salary Supplement Program was
launched in the 2008 General Session creating a
Restricted Account in the Uniform School Fund to
pay costs associated with the TSSP (program) and
was initially administered by Department of Human
Resource Management.
The program was initially designed to provide
qualifying secondary math and science educators a
monetary incentive to draw and keep qualified
educators from other industries.
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3. The TSSP fund designated a salary
benefit up to $4,100 each fiscal year
along with additional funds to cover
employer-paid-benefit costs
(retirement, workers’ compensation,
Social Security, and Medicare) that are
distributed through the educator’s
payroll.
The educator can either elect a
Semester/Trimester payment-installment or
elect one Annual payment.
delay

4. In the Fiscal Year of 2014-15, The Utah
State Board of Education took over the
administration of the program from
DHRM.
In 2015-16, the Utah Legislature also
added Computer Sciences to the
existing lineup of teaching programs
eligible for TSSP.

5. Mathematics Science Computer Science
TSSP

6. DO I QUALIFY FOR TSSP?
Educators apply online at https://tssp.schools.utah.gov and must meet the
following requirements:
1. Current Utah License:
3. A Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate degree with a major in the corresponding
subject
2. Hold an appropriate endorsement for the assigned course area
 An assignment(s) posted in CACTUS:
o in a Public or Charter School
o With the assignment in qualifying TSSP subject(s)
4. Be a new employee or received a satisfactory rating or above on the
teacher’s most recent evaluation.
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7. CACTUS ASSIGNMENTS:
Mathematics
Core Codes starting with:
07-00-00-00-000 +
• Common Core
• Algebra & IB
Mathematics
• Calculus
• Statistics
• Other Mathematics
32-02-00-00-000 +
• CTE / Business
Mathematics
35-02-00-00-000 +
• Computer Programming
Science
Core Codes starting with:
08-03-00-00-000 +
• Chemistry
08-05-00-00-000 +
• Integrated Science
08-06-00-00-000 +
• Physics
38-01-00-00-000 +
• Physics CTE
Computer
Science
Core Codes starting with:
05-03-00-00-001 +
• Computer Science
35-01-00-00-001 +
• Computer Literacy
• Systems Integration

8. MATHEMATICS REQUIREMENTS:
Degree: In order to qualify, a teacher must have a bachelor’s degree, master’s
degree or doctoral degree with a Major in Mathematics posted in CACTUS.
Appropriate Endorsements: Teachers must hold a valid endorsement(s) for the
class(es) they teach.
Qualified Courses: A teacher must have a current assignment posted in CACTUS to
teach at least one of the following courses:
• Grade Level 7
• Grade Level 8
• Secondary Math

9. SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Degree: In order to qualify, a teacher must have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or
doctoral degree with a Major in Chemistry, Physics, Physical Science or General Science
(or Integrated Science) posted in CACTUS.
Appropriate Endorsements: Teachers must hold a valid endorsement(s) for the class(es)
they teach.
Qualified Courses: A teacher must have a current assignment posted in CACTUS to teach
at least one of the following courses:
• Integrated Science in Grade 7
• Integrated Science in Grade 8
• Chemistry
• Physics

10. SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Degree: In order to qualify, a teacher must have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or
doctoral degree with a Major in Chemistry, Physics, Physical Science or General Science
(or Integrated Science) posted in CACTUS.
Appropriate Endorsements: Teachers must hold a valid endorsement(s) for the class(es)
they teach.
Qualified Courses: A teacher must have a current assignment posted in CACTUS to teach
one of the following courses:
Degree majors that DO NOT Qualify:
• Biology
• Earth Sciences
• Geology
• Zoology

11. COMPUTER SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Degree: In order to qualify, a teacher must have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree
or doctoral degree with a Major in Computer Science posted in CACTUS.
Appropriate Endorsements: Teachers must hold a valid endorsement(s) for the class(es)
they teach.
Qualified Courses: A teacher must have a current assignment posted in CACTUS to
teach at least one of the following courses:
• Computer Science
• Computer Literacy
• Systems Integration
• Systems Engineering

12. SO, HOW MUCH DO I GET?
Assignment x FTE x 4100 = Benefit Amount
The Benefit Amount is then multiplied by the
current percentage for benefits (32.14%) and the
additional amount is your Benefit Total.

13. Mathematics Science Computer Science
What is a “Substantially Equivalent” Degree?
Based on the current Utah Legislative definition, the completion of appropriate coursework and/or having obtained a
mathematics endorsement does not meet the legislature’s current requirements for the TSSP bonus program.
Title 53A, Chapter 17a, Part 1, Section 156 is the legislative code for the TSSP program states:
(c) "Qualifying educational background" means:
(i) for a teacher who is assigned a secondary school level mathematics (science or computer science)
course:
(A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics (science or
computer science); or
(B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course requirements
that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a bachelor's degree major,
master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics (science or computer science); ”
An example of other equivalencies commonly occurs with a degree such as engineering, with a minor in
mathematics or one of the qualifying sciences. (The legislature requires strict adherence regarding this
qualification.)

14. TSSP WON’T LET ME
APPLY!!!
When an educator attempts to
create an account, the TSSP system
requires minimum information
including:
• CACTUS number
If any of these items do not
match, the system will not allow
the educator to proceed.
• Current Assignment
• Qualifying Degree
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r

15. Utah Statute 53A-17a-156 “requires the Utah
State Office of Education to establish and
administer an appeal process for any
teacher to follow if the teacher applies for
the salary supplement and is rejected or not
certified to receive the bonus. “
TSSP Appeals
The USOE accepts TSSP Appeals throughout the
Application period annually from
October through May.

17. TSSP Fund Annual
Allocation – 2015-16
Approved Applications
and Appeals
How are the funds distributed?

18. Benefit Maximum
Compute
r
Science
MathChemistr
y
Physics
Math
Math
LEA Distribution
The Legislature’s Annual
Funding Total is distributed
to all eligible educators
based on their qualifying
percentages.
In the event that there are
more applicants than funds,
the total % is reduced
equally and then funded to
the LEA.

19. LEA Distribution
Payroll
Distribution
Distributed by
Card4 to the LEA
Approved by
USOE
Accounting
LEA Public Schools
Educator Educator
LEA Charter Schools
Educator

20. 2015-16 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
H.B. 331
National Board
Certification
• Teachers who hold a
National Board
Certification are
eligible to receive an
additional $750
annual bonus (plus
benefits) in
conjunction with the
TSSP program bonus.
National Board Certification
in a Title 1 School
• Teachers who hold a
current National Board
Certification AND
teach in a Title 1
School, qualify to
receive $1,500
annually (plus benefits)
in conjunction with the
TSSP program bonus.
Effective July 1, 2016
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