(a) Financial awards will be provided to the schools that the office determines have demonstrated the greatest improvement in achieving the education goals of improved student achievement and improved school completion, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and any limitation set by the director on the total amount that may be awarded to a school or local school system.

(b) Financial awards will be provided to each school that achieves a grade of A or B as defined in Code Section 20-14-33 for performance on either or both the absolute student achievement standard and progress on student achievement. The certificated personnel in a school that achieves the grade of A or B in either or both categories will be provided a bonus for the year the school achieved those grades of $1,000.00 for each grade of A and $500.00 for each grade of B. The maximum individual annual bonus for certificated personnel shall not exceed $2,000.00 and shall be provided subject to appropriation by the General Assembly or as otherwise may be provided. An additional financial award will be provided to each school for noncertificated personnel in the amount of $10,000.00 for each A grade for the school and $5,000.00 for each B grade for the school, provided that the total lump sum noncertificated personnel award for an individual school shall not exceed $20,000.00; provided, further, that funds for this purpose are appropriated by the General Assembly or as otherwise may be provided. The local school council of the school receiving this noncertificated personnel award shall determine the distribution of the award among such personnel of its school.

(c) The Governor may present proclamations or certificates to schools and school systems determined to have met or exceeded the state's education goals under Code Section 20-14-30.