Common use of Course of Study Clause in Contracts

Course of Study. a. The Board of Education, believing that continued study by its teaching staff is an effective method of improving instruction will aid teachers financially on credit courses taken beyond the bachelor’s degree as long as the courses meet the guidelines in this section of the contract and/or when a teacher has received prior written approval for reimbursement. b. Teachers taking courses at State-supported accredited institutions in Michigan will be reimbursed at the rate of one half (1/2) of the tuition charges of the institution offering the course. c. Teachers taking courses offered by out-of-state institutions which are recognized by that state as accredited institutions shall be reimbursed at the rate of one half (1/2) of the tuition charge of the institution, but that rate shall not exceed one half (1/2) of the tuition rate charged by Michigan State University. d. A teacher must be on a planned, approved program for an advanced degree (in a K-12 educational program) in order to be reimbursed by the Employer for courses taken in “b.” and “c.” above, unless prior approval is granted as noted in “e.” below. e. Teachers taking courses not leading to an advanced K-12 educational degree may be reimbursed under this policy upon prior written approval. If the course is not a part of an approved program for an advanced degree, to gain approval, the teacher must state in writing, the specific benefits to classroom instruction which will be derived from the course to be taken. Written requests for approval are to be submitted to the Compensation and Benefits Office. f. To receive reimbursement for college credit, evidence of successful completion of work, along with a receipt for tuition must be presented to the Compensation and Benefits Office. A transcript of credit and canceled check will suffice as evidence, as long as confirmation of the college’s per- credit rate is also provided.

Course of Study. a. The Board of Education, believing that continued study by its teaching staff is an effective method of improving instruction will aid teachers financially on credit courses taken beyond the bachelor’s degree as long as the courses meet the guidelines in this section of the contract and/or when a teacher has received prior written approval for reimbursement. b. Teachers taking courses at State-supported accredited institutions in Michigan will be reimbursed at the rate of one half (1/2) of the tuition charges of the institution offering the course. c. Teachers taking courses offered by out-of-state institutions which are recognized by that state as accredited institutions shall be reimbursed at the rate of one half (1/2) of the tuition charge of the institution, but that rate shall not exceed one half (1/2) of the tuition rate charged by Michigan State University. d. A teacher must be on a planned, approved program for an advanced degree (in a K-12 educational program) in order to be reimbursed by the Employer for courses taken in “b.” and “c.” above, unless prior approval is granted as noted in “e.” below. e. Teachers taking courses not leading to an advanced K-12 educational degree may be reimbursed under this policy upon prior written approval. If the course is not a part of an approved program for an advanced degree, to gain approval, the teacher must state in writing, the specific benefits to classroom instruction which will be derived from the course to be taken. Written requests for approval are to be submitted to the Compensation and Benefits Office. f. To receive reimbursement for college credit, evidence of successful completion of work, along with a receipt for tuition must be presented to the Compensation and Benefits Office. A transcript of credit and canceled check will suffice as evidence, as long as confirmation of the college’s per- credit rate is also provided. g. Teachers expressing interest and being selected to pursue an endorsement in the area of special education or specialized endorsement/credential as approved by the Superintendent or designee shall be reimbursed 100% (rather than 50%) of the related tuition charges (excluding books, fees, etc.) to earn credits needed for that endorsement, with all other terms and conditions described in Section 18 remaining the same. Upon completion of the special education endorsement program or specialized endorsement/credential program and placement as a teacher within the new endorsement/credential area within the District, the employee shall serve as an educator in the new endorsement/credential area for an amount of time equivalent to the amount of time the employee took to complete the endorsement or reimburse the District the additional 50% tuition reimbursement received in obtaining the endorsement/credential.