(a) The State Board of Education shall identify schools and local school systems in the state where an insufficient supply of qualified teachers is available to deliver instruction in the fields of mathematics, science, special education, or foreign language, based on criteria defined by the State Board of Education, the Professional Standards Commission, and the Office of Education Accountability. Upon determination of shortages each year, the State Board of Education shall request funds sufficient to provide for salary increases not to exceed one additional step on the state salary schedule for which the teacher would otherwise have been entitled for positions contracted for in those locations and fields during the school year. Funding shall be based on the number of eligible positions identified for the previous school year, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. Upon receiving three such salary increases, a teacher shall become ineligible for additional salary increases under this Code section.

(b) The criteria used for assessing whether or not an insufficient supply of qualified teachers is available and the data used in making the determination that a shortage exists shall be submitted by the Office of Education Accountability to the chairpersons of the Education Committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate no later than December 1 of each year.