Support Staff Professional Growth Program

Support Staff employees are provided an opportunity to participate in a professional growth program which offers incentive credits for salary compensation or reimbursement for tuition.

Eligibility:

Must be employed by the Kyrene School District for at least one year from their start date.
Be assigned to a permanent position which is twenty (20) hours or more per week and retain this status in order to receive any type of compensation. Credits may be accumulated for the incentive program during the employee's first year of employment, but employees are not eligible to receive reimbursement or a salary increase during this time.

Guidelines:

Employees may not receive more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) in reimbursement per person, per fiscal year.
Employees assigned to a forty (40) hour per week position are eligible to be reimbursed for the amount of their tuition.
Employees assigned to a position less than forty (40) hours, but at least twenty (20) hours are eligible for a prorated reimbursement according to their position hours, i.e., an employee assigned to a twenty (20) hour position would receive 50% of their total tuition; an employee assigned to a thirty (30) hour position would receive 78% of their total tuition reimbursement.

Type of Credit/Coursework allowed:

1. Non-District Course (universities, colleges or other accredited or District recognized institutions/trade or professional schools)

All transcripts must show a minimum grade of "C" for coursework or "Pass" when offered as a "Pass/Fail" course. A minimum of nine (9) credit hours for every 15 (fifteen) credit hours must be graded classes.
Quarter hours will be evaluated as equal to two/thirds (2/3) of one semester hour.

2. Non-District courses (workshops, seminars, non-graded courses)

At lease fifteen (15) contact hours are required for one credit. Approval of courses will be controlled by standards comparable to formal college/university study. Course credit will be identified and pre-approved by the Director of Staffing, Recruitment and Employee Development by following the appropriate procedures.
Upon conclusion of the course, a certificate of successful completion must be submitted to the Division of Human Resource Services within thirty (30)days. If a certificate is not issued, a signature from the instructor indicating successful completion of the course is required.

3. In-District Courses

One (1) credit may be earned for completion of each nine (9) contact hours. Employees may accumulate contact hours to achieve credit hours. Course approvals are not needed for in-District courses.

4. On-line Courses

No more than six (6) semester hours for every fifteen (15) credit increments may be allowed for on-line credit from an accredited college or university. Exceptions may be requested upon course availability and/or when special circumstances exist.

Types of Compensation

Employees may elect to receive two forms of compensation for Professional Growth; Incentive Credits or Salary Credits.

1. Incentive Credits for Salary Compensation

Step One:	Course Approval Request - Employees may submit a course approval form to Human Resource Services to obtain prior approval for incentive credits. In the absence of prior approval, it is the employees' responsibility to ensure that the course meets the guidelines for acceptable coursework.
Step Two:	Notice of Intent - The Notice of Intent Form to receive a salary increase must be on file in Human Resource Services no later that February 15th for salary increase in the following school year. This form is not necessary for the Tuition Reimbursement program. Notice of Intent Forms received after February 15th will be returned to the employee. It will be necessary for the employee to resubmit their Notice of Intent to receive a salary increase according to the appropriate timelines. Carryover: Credits earned toward or above the fifteen (15) credits allowed per year may be carried over to the following school year.
Step Three:	Completed Course(s) Reporting - The Completed Course(s) Reporting Form for a salary increase must include all 15 (fifteen) credits with transcripts and documentation before the evaluation for credit will occur. Please note that courses that did not receive approval prior to completion will be evaluated at this time. Courses that do not meet the guidelines will not be accepted.
Step Four:	If coursework is approved for incentive credits and documentation is received by October 1st deadline, Human Resource Services will prepare an amended contract, which reflects the salary increase retroactive to the start of the employee's current Contract.

2. Tuition Reimbursement

Step One:

Course Approval Request Form - Course Approval Request Forms must be submitted to Human Resource Services in advance of course start date.

Exceptions will be considered when an approved course is dropped from the institution schedule, and it is necessary for an employee to select an alternative course.

Step Two:

Completed Course(s) Reporting Form - The Completed Course(s) Reporting Form for Tuition Reimbursement must be forwarded to Human Resource Services within thirty (30) days of completion of the course along with all transcripts, documentation, and original paid receipts before the evaluation for tuition reimbursement will occur.

For additional information please refer to the Support Staff Meet and Confer document's Professional Growth section.