Common use of Tuition Reimbursement Program Clause in Contracts

Tuition Reimbursement Program. To encourage personnel to continue their professional growth, the Board will grant tuition reimbursement to individual members as follows: A. The Board will annually allocate a tuition reimbursement amount equal to three hundred seventy-five dollars ($375) multiplied by the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) bargaining unit member (rounded down to the nearest whole FTE number) as of October 15. B. Record keeping and disbursement of funds shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer’s office. Reimbursement checks will be distributed to eligible individuals under this Article on or before November 1 of each school year. Prior to any such distribution, the Treasurer (or designee) and Association President will review the proposed distribution for the purpose of minimizing in advance any inadvertent errors in the administration of this Article. A part-time bargaining unit member is eligible for tuition reimbursement under Article 38 of this Agreement for up to a maximum of three (3) semester hours annually. Reimbursement for course work will be made upon presentation of proof of payment and course completion with a grade of B or higher (P for pass/fail courses). Such proofs must be submitted to the Treasurer’s office on or before September 15th. Employees who are subjected to a RIF shall receive reimbursement for any approved coursework in accordance with the terms of this Article. Proof of payment can be in the form of a cancelled check, charge card receipt, charge card statement, or cash receipt. (Course registration form cannot be used as proof of payment.) Proof of course completion should be in the form of a grade card OR transcript showing course completed. Eligibility: Courses approved must be at the graduate level and granted by an institution recognized by the Ohio Department of Education for initial certification/licensure or renewal. They also must meet one (1) or more of these criteria: 1. Course is needed to renew or upgrade certificate/license that employee holds to keep their current assignment. 2. Course directly relates to their teaching area or corresponds to building and/or District goals or school improvement plans. 3. Approved credits for support staff members may be on either the undergraduate or graduate level and must be related to the member's work responsibilities. The Superintendent shall make the following exceptions: coursework for undergraduate or vocational/technical school courses that relate to the member's area of responsibility, or course work that improves the curriculum of the District (i.e. - computer courses, industrial arts courses, etc.). C. Proof of eligibility for advancement on the salary schedule for teachers must be filed with the Superintendent by September 15 of the school year. The teacher shall submit a written request to the Superintendent indicating the number of graduate hours completed and the new level on the salary schedule that has been earned. Transcripts from all institutions from which qualifying credit hours have been completed will be provided as proof of eligibility. Those who are eligible for advancement on the September 15 date will be placed on the salary schedule retroactive to the first work day of the school year. For those who complete additional credit between September 15 and January 15 proof of eligibility must be filed with the Superintendent no later than January 30 of that year. Those who are eligible for advancement on the January 30 date will be placed on the salary schedule effective February 1 of that year. Procedure for determining reimbursement amount: 1. Total up the bargaining unit member’s semester hours (changing quarter hours into semester hours). 2. Take each bargaining unit member’s paid receipt by course and divide by total semester hours per that class/course. 3. Divide total dollars available by the total semester hours to determine cost per semester credit hour. 4. If the cost per credit hour paid by the staff member is the same or below the dollar amount enter the amount. 5. Add up the remaining credit hours and repeat the process (#3) until all funds are expended. 6. Enter requisitions for each staff member.

Tuition Reimbursement Program. To encourage personnel to continue their professional growth, the Board will grant tuition reimbursement to individual members as follows: A. The Board will annually allocate a tuition reimbursement amount equal to three hundred seventy-five dollars ($375) multiplied by the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) bargaining unit member (rounded down to the nearest whole FTE number) as of October 15. B. Record keeping and disbursement of funds shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer’s office. Reimbursement checks will be distributed to eligible individuals under this Article on or before November 1 of each school year. Prior to any such distribution, the Treasurer (or designee) and Association President will review the proposed distribution for the purpose of minimizing in advance any inadvertent errors in the administration of this Article. A part-time bargaining unit member is eligible for tuition reimbursement under Article 38 of this Agreement for up to a maximum of three (3) semester hours annually. Reimbursement for course work will be made upon presentation of proof of payment and course completion with a grade of B or higher (P for pass/fail courses). Such proofs must be submitted to the Treasurer’s office on or before September 15th. Employees who are subjected to a RIF shall receive reimbursement for any approved coursework in accordance with the terms of this Article. Proof of payment can be in the form of a cancelled check, charge card receipt, charge card statement, or cash receipt. (Course registration form cannot be used as proof of payment.) Proof of course completion should be in the form of a grade card OR transcript showing course completed. Eligibility: Courses approved must be at the graduate level and granted by an institution recognized by the Ohio Department of Education for initial certification/licensure or renewal. They also must meet one (1) or more of these criteria: 1. Course is needed to renew or upgrade certificate/license that employee holds to keep their current assignment. 2. Course directly relates to their teaching area or corresponds to building and/or District goals or school improvement plans. 3. Approved credits for support staff members may be on either the undergraduate or graduate level and must be related to the member's work responsibilities. The Superintendent shall make the following exceptions: coursework for undergraduate or vocational/technical school courses that relate to the member's area of responsibility, or course work that improves the curriculum of the District (i.e. - computer courses, industrial arts courses, etc.). C. Proof of eligibility for advancement on the salary schedule for teachers must be filed with the Superintendent by September 15 of the school year. The teacher shall submit a written request to the Superintendent indicating the number of graduate hours completed and the new level on the salary schedule that has been earned. Transcripts from all institutions from which qualifying credit hours have been completed will be provided as proof of eligibility. Those who are eligible for advancement on the September 15 date will be placed on the salary schedule retroactive to the first work day of the school year. For those who complete additional credit between September 15 and January 15 proof of eligibility must be filed with the Superintendent no later than January 30 of that year. Those who are eligible for advancement on the January 30 date will be placed on the salary schedule effective February 1 of that year. D. For salary advancement twenty-five (25), and forty (40) graduate semester hours must be taken after the receipt of the Master’s degree. Procedure for determining reimbursement amount: 1. Total up the bargaining unit member’s semester hours (changing quarter hours into semester hours). 2. Take each bargaining unit member’s paid receipt by course and divide by total semester hours per that class/course. 3. Divide total dollars available by the total semester hours to determine cost per semester credit hour. 4. If the cost per credit hour paid by the staff member is the same or below the dollar amount enter the amount. 5. Add up the remaining credit hours and repeat the process (#3) until all funds are expended. 6. Enter requisitions for each staff member. E. Unused funds will be allocated for this purpose in the following funding cycle. F. This provision shall not be utilized during a Board-approved sabbatical leave unless so approved by the Board to be part of the sabbatical. G. Definition: a. Full-time study" shall be as it is defined by the institution attended. H. Course changes may be made only after receiving the Superintendent's approval. I. A bargaining unit member who is not still employed by the Board as of the reimbursement date specified in Section B of this Article will not receive reimbursement. It being further understood, however, that this disqualification will not apply if the employee died, became disabled, or is on layoff status because of a reduction in force implemented under Article 18 of this Agreement. J. A new employee who is Board-approved is eligible for tuition reimbursement under Article 26 for coursework that is pre-approved by the District as part of their conditions of employment.