Professional Development Program (a) The parties agree to continue a Professional Development Program for the maintenance and development of the faculty members' professional competence and effectiveness. It is agreed that maintenance of currency of subject knowledge, the improvement of performance of faculty duties, and the maintenance and improvement of professional competence, including instructional skills, are the primary professional development activities of faculty members.
(b) Information collected as part of this program shall be the sole property of the faculty member. This information or any judgments arising from this program shall not be used to determine non-renewal or termination of a faculty member's contract, suspension or dismissal of a faculty member, denial of advancement on the salary scale, nor affect any other administrative decisions pertaining to the promotion or employment status of the faculty member.
(c) A joint advisory committee consisting of three regular faculty members who shall be elected by and are P.D. Committee Chairpersons and three administrators shall make recommendations for the operation, financing and management of the Professional Development Program.
Professional Development Plan Professional Development Plan (PDP) refers to plans developed by faculty members addressing the criteria contained in Article 22 and Appendix G.
Research and Development (i) Advice and assistance in relation to research and development of Party B;
(ii) Advice and assistance in strategic planning; and
Professional Growth The policy of the District shall be to encourage continued and active participation on the part of classified employees in a program of professional growth activities designed to improve service to students and the District, and to assist in the personal and professional development of the employee. Professional growth is designed as a continuous purposeful program of study/training to retain and extend the high standards of the classified employees. The purpose of this program will be:
1. To improve the standard of service of the classified staff;
2. To extend and constantly improve the standards of on-the-job performance;
3. To provide opportunities for personal growth and advancement and thereby exert a concerted effort to retain qualified classified personnel. The policy shall be interpreted and implemented as follows:
1. Professional growth credit shall be given for unit credit collegiate-level coursework. Non- collegiate courses shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the employee’s immediate supervisor and the Chief Human Resources Officer or designee.
2. Professional growth credit will be provided for coursework completed on the employee’s own time. Released time for on-the-job training to participate in study/coursework, etc., shall not result in professional growth credit.
3. Professional growth credit shall be given only for that coursework begun and completed subsequent to the effective date of the Agreement into which this proposal is incorporated.
4. All coursework for professional growth credit shall be job-related or related to advancement to another District job and subject to prior approval of the employee’s immediate supervisor and the Chief Human Resources Officer. The burden of proof of job-relatedness falls to the employee making request for professional growth credit.
5. If the District determines that the coursework is not job related, the employee may appeal this decision using an appeal process similar to the one now operating with working out- of-class provisions of the Agreement.
6. Upon promotion of the employee to a new classification, the units completed for professional growth credit shall be reviewed by the new supervisor and the supervisor’s vice president to determine whether the growth credits shall carry over.
a. If units were gained completing courses which provided employee with prerequisite skills for the new position, the professional growth credit will not be carried over.
b. If the credit is not job-related to the new position, the credit will not be carried over.
c. In both “a” and “b” above, the appeal process of Paragraph 5 shall apply.
7. The District shall have the right to require appropriate coursework as part of any professional growth program for an employee.
8. An employee shall have three (3) years in which to complete any cycle of professional growth. Units will not be carried over if the cycle is not completed within the three (3) years.
9. Upon completion of twelve (12) units (within the three-year timeline), the employee shall be eligible for the first step of professional growth increment.
10. Upon completion of an additional twelve (12) units (within the three-year timeline), the employee shall be eligible for a second step of the professional growth.
11. Professional growth increment shall be a flat rate of $50.00 per month per step.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT A. Both the Board and the Association encourage teachers to seek professional improvement. In order to assist teachers in extending and improving their skills the following plan will be implemented.
B. All Teachers will be encouraged to earn a Masters degree or coursework toward additional certification that is in the field of education and within a teacher's discipline, or in an area that is beneficial to the school.
C. The Board will pay teacher's expenses for undergraduate and/or graduate credits, specialty and additional endorsements under the following conditions.
1. In allocating budgeted funds priority will be given to the teachers in a “masters” program and those teachers who need to complete coursework for certification.
2. All courses must be approved, in advance, by the Superintendent. Courses for recertification purposes must be approved in advance by the certification committee and the superintendent. The teacher shall receive a written reply from the Superintendent within ten (10) days of application for course approval (See Appendix D).
3. Each teacher will be eligible for up to six (6) semester hours of credit or, if enrolled in a matriculated, organized program, 12 semester hours of credit for undergraduate will be paid if part of a graduate program or graduate courses per contract year. The Superintendent reserves the right to request intent to take courses prior to final budget preparation. Failure to communicate such intent at the time of the Superintendent’s request may jeopardize course reimbursement due to a lack of funding.
4. The administration will pay in advance the cost of the course. Presentation of evidence of satisfactory completion of the course (A grade of B or better) is the responsibility of the teacher. In the event the course is not completed or not completed satisfactorily, the teacher will refund the payment received in advance and in accordance with Appendix D – attached.
5. Teachers who resign shall not be eligible for reimbursement after the date of resignation Teachers who have been reimbursed for any course work toward securing a masters within the last two (2) years of employment shall be required to continue their service to RSU # 78 for an additional two (2) years (twenty-four months) or will be required to reimburse the district the cost associated with Masters courses taken prior to departing, Such reimbursement to the district shall be remitted via payroll deductions as arranged between the District and employee, unless the failure to continue employment is due to illness, disability, death, or reduction of position.
6. Reimbursement will only be for tuition and fees. It will not include reimbursement for mileage, books and other expenses unless the teacher is required to take the course by the administration.