1. For the purpose of providing career pay, which shall be a salary supplement for teachers, librarians, school counselors and certificated teachers who hold positions as school psychological examiners, parents-as-teachers educators, school psychologists, special education diagnosticians or speech pathologists in Missouri schools for the severely disabled, the Missouri School for the Blind and the Missouri School for the Deaf, there is hereby established a career advancement program which shall become effective no later than September 1, 1986. Participation in the career advancement program by teachers shall be voluntary.

2. The department of elementary and secondary education with the recommendation of teachers from the state schools, shall develop a career plan. This state career plan shall include, but need not be limited to, the provisions of state model career plans as contained in subsection 2 of section 168.500.

3. After a teacher who is duly employed by a state school qualifies and is selected for participation in the state career plan established under this section, such a teacher shall not be denied the career pay authorized by such plan except as provided in subdivisions (1), (2), and (3) of section 168.510.

4. Each teacher selected to participate in the career plan established under this section who meets the requirements of such plan shall receive a salary supplement as provided in subdivisions (1), (2), and (3) of subsection 1 of section 168.515.

5. The department of elementary and secondary education shall annually include within its budget request to the general assembly sufficient funds for the purpose of providing career pay as established under this section to those eligible teachers employed in Missouri schools for the severely disabled, the Missouri School for the Deaf, and the Missouri School for the Blind.