PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT Sample Clauses
The PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT clause establishes requirements or opportunities for employees to enhance their skills and qualifications relevant to their professional roles. Typically, this clause outlines provisions for ongoing training, education, or participation in workshops, and may specify whether such activities are mandatory or voluntary, as well as who bears the associated costs. Its core function is to ensure that employees remain competent and up-to-date in their fields, thereby benefiting both the individual and the organization by maintaining high standards of performance and adaptability.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. The parties’ support the principle of continuing training of teachers, participation by teachers in professional organizations in the areas of their specialization, leaves for work on advanced degrees or special studies, foreign travel and participation in community educational projects.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. 20.01 The parties support the principle of continuous training of teachers. This may include participation by teachers in professional organizations in the areas of their specialization, leaves for work on advanced degrees or special studies, foreign travel, and participation in community educational projects.
20.02 The Board agrees to provide necessary funds for teachers who desire to attend professional conferences, in-service or staff development. The Board will offer/provide to teachers given new teaching assignments, opportunity for in-service or staff development.
20.03 Expenses submitted on a conference form and approved by the Administration will be provided.
20.04 A teacher attending such conferences and meetings will be granted sufficient leave time to attend without loss of compensation. The teacher will, upon request, submit a written or oral report regarding such conferences.
20.05 A teacher who enrolls in a Rochester Community Schools Community Education course which is related to their present or future teacher teaching assignment, will be allowed to attend tuition-free. To qualify for this benefit, the teacher must submit a request to the Superintendent/designee detailing how the specific course relates to the teacher's present or future employment with the Board.
20.06 The Association and Board agree to the following methods for meeting state required professional development hours for teachers.
A. It is understood that during the first 3 years of his or her employment in the classroom, a new teacher will be inducted into teaching by participating in at least ninety (90) hours of professional development per Section 1526 of the Michigan School Code. The Board agrees to provide support for meeting this requirement by allowing for the necessary release time in order to participate in the Intermediate School District’s New Teacher Support Center or any comparable professional development opportunity as determined by the teacher in consultation with his/her immediate supervisor. Funds for such programs will continue to be provided by the School District unless other arrangements are made.
B. Compliance with Section 1527 of the Michigan School Code will be met by combining any of the following professional development opportunities to total a minimum of 30 hours. Part-time teachers will have this amount prorated per their partial assignment.
1. Calendar designated professional development dates. Part-time/shared time teachers will attend a mini...
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. 17.1 It is agreed that professional competence and growth is enhanced through teacher participation in educational conferences. Staff participation in such conferences is subject to budget limitations and administrative approval.
17.2 It is agreed that in some instances it will be necessary for selected teachers to get additional preparation to meet the needs of the district. The Board agrees to pay tuition costs for such preparation provided that:
.1 Such credit is not used to obtain advanced degree or certification, .2 Such credit is not used to qualify for additional salary allowance, .3 Teacher makes application prior to taking such preparation and receives administrative approval.
17.3 Since teacher reassignment may create special needs for in-service and other training for some teachers, the Staff Development Committee will continue to provide such in-service and training as they deem necessary within the limitation of available funds.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. A. Professional improvement of Administrators is encouraged. It is understood that no reasonable request for professional improvement shall be denied as long as funds are available. These activities will be congruent with the District’s curriculum and leadership goals. Prior approval by the Superintendent is required.
B. The Board shall pay dues to a state and national professional organization. Dues paid on behalf of the Administrator will be deducted from the building level administrative inservice account. Organizational membership shall be related to the Administrators' professional duties and responsibilities.
C. The Board agrees to reimburse any administrator for the costs incurred for tuition, books and supplies associated with up to four (4) credits of graduate level coursework in any one year. The employee will only be reimbursed if a passing grade is earned. One year is defined as beginning July 1 and ending June 30 of the next calendar year. Reimbursement will be contingent upon the Superintendent’s decision as to whether the course is related to the administrator’s responsibilities.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. Professional development and training opportunities shall be provided by the university to community faculty.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. Leaves of absence for teachers may be granted by the Superintendent of Schools or designee for professional experience and improvement exclusive of study–such as an exchange position, a Fulbright Scholarship, or a teaching position in a dependent school, only after five (5) years of consecutive employment with the District. These leaves are granted without pay and will be granted for a one (1) year period only (with the exception of leaves granted for teaching in dependent schools). Candidates for this type of leave shall not have had a leave for a similar purpose, unless the teacher has had at least five (5) consecutive years of employment with the District since the termination of the previous leave. Applications for professional leaves shall be filed with the Human Resources Department on the designated form at least three (3) months prior to the date of anticipated absence.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. 20.1 The School Board agrees to budget $100,000 for each year 2023/2024, 2024/2025, and 2025/2026 for professional improvement. Funding will be limited to the amount budgeted. For the duration of this contract, the Association will allow $1,000 for professional improvement activities and up to $3,000 for coursework per employee. If the employee chooses to take coursework and professional improvement activities, the maximum amount that the employee may spend is $3,000.
20.2 Applications will be processed by the building principal as received. The principal shall request that the professional employee explain how the activity is relevant to his or her own employment in the school district. The professional employee may be asked to prepare a presentation for the Superintendent and/or the School Board that summarizes the benefits of the professional development. Final determination as to whether the activity is eligible for payment or reimbursement rests with the Principal. All professional improvement requests must be submitted for approval by May 15.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. Teachers may be granted temporary leave to attend local, regional, state, or national meetings of professional education associations or learned societies subject to the following limitations:
a. All such requests must have a direct relationship to the teaching/extra duty assignment of the teacher and must be granted on the approval of the principal and superintendent.
b. Budgetary provisions for attendance must be made in advance.
c. Applications for professional leave shall be approved by the Superintendent or designated representative and shall be made one week in advance (in state) or 30 days in advance (out of state) prior to the anticipated absence.
d. Professional leave shall not be charged to the teacher’s accumulated temporary leave time.
e. Consultation/Contracted Services: Certified employees may be excused from regular duty by the Superintendent to perform contracted services as to other districts, government agencies or private industry. If a certified employee receives payment for contracted or consulting services or pay for travel they will be required to take personal leave or take a salary deduction on the day they performed such services if during normal contracted time with the district unless waived by Board or their designee. The amount of the salary deduction will be based on the individual’s daily compensation rate per their annual contract.
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. A. The District will provide in-service programs to train employees on new equipment, processes and procedures related to their current job duties.
B. The District shall establish a Professional Improvement Fund in the amount of thirty thousand ($30,000) for each year of the contract for the purpose of assisting employees seeking to upgrade and gain new skills. Use of such funds shall be for the cost of enrollment in workshops, seminars, conferences or college courses related to work performed by members of the bargaining unit, or to qualify for advancement into positions represented by the bargaining unit, and/or for the cost of a substitute when necessary to cover the employee’s assignment. Requests for funds shall be submitted through the employee’s Supervisor with final approval to be jointly decided by the Union President or designee and District Human Resources Director or designee prior to taking the course. If a disagreement exists between those two parties, the District Superintendent shall make a final decision. To receive reimbursement, an employee must provide verification of successful completion of the work. If agreeable to the provider, the District will make direct payment to the provider to cover registration fees, etc. Employees may initially apply for eight hundred dollars ($800) in any one year and may request additional funds, up to four hundred dollars ($400), a total of twelve hundred dollars ($1200) after June 1, if any funds remain in the Professional Improvement Fund. Approval for additional funds shall be based on the criteria stated above and shall be on a first come, first served basis. Unused Professional Improvement Fund dollars shall be added to the subsequent year’s $30,000 contribution. Requests that have been approved, but have not yet taken place, shall have funds set aside to ensure coverage of the coursework, workshop, conference or seminar.
C. An employee may visit another school or facility within the District or attend a workshop, conference or seminar related to their work assignment during their regular work hours, provided the following conditions are met:
1. Approval of Supervisor
PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT. Section 1. The KLEA, the Board, and the Administration of the Keystone Local School District recognize the value of continued education by members of the teaching staff. The parties mutually agree that the learning process and the quality of education will be substantially enhanced when members of the staff acquire additional expertise in their teaching fields and when they have familiarized themselves with the most up-to-date teaching techniques.
Section 2. All certificated employees of the school district shall be eligible for tuition reimbursement subject to the following conditions:
A. The teacher shall have at least one (1) year of professional service in the Keystone Local School District.
B. The course work shall have the prior approval of the Superintendent.
C. Reimbursement may be for graduate or undergraduate courses which are directly related to the teacher’s teaching assignment and/or other certification areas of the individual’s teaching certificate and for other course work specifically approved by the Superintendent.
D. The teacher must receive a grade of “B-” or better and/or if a pass/fail course, receive a passing grade to be eligible for reimbursement.
E. To be eligible to receive payment for courses taken in the spring or during the summer, the teacher must teach in Keystone Local Schools the year following receiving course credit or must have been granted a leave of absence or have been RIF’ed or non-renewed.
F. The maximum number of quarter hours per teacher to be included under this policy shall be eighteen (18) completed quarter hours or twelve (12) completed semester hours from July 1 to June 30 of any school year.
G. Tuition reimbursement under this Article shall be made during two (2) pay periods per year. The amount of money available for each pay period shall be divided equally between the two pay periods. For teachers completing approved coursework between the time period of July 1 and December 31 in the year tuition reimbursement is being requested, payment shall be made the second pay period in March. For teachers completing approved coursework between the time period of January 1 and June 30 in the year tuition reimbursement is being requested, payment shall be made the second pay period in September. Any funds remaining after the teachers have received tuition reimbursement from the September pay period shall automatically rollover to the March tuition reimbursement pay period. Only approved applications accompanied with a...