Staff Development

Procedure for Approval

Teachers must first submit a Program Proposal to the building Principal, Instructional Improvement Coordinator, and Superintendent for approval.

The Program Proposal must be submitted and approved prior to the beginning of any course work.  The proposal must include a summary of the program of studies and a listing of courses to be taken.  (Any modifications to this program must be submitted for approval prior to taking the courses) 

Following the approval, the Instructional Improvement Coordinator will share a Program Planning Worksheet to be monitored by the teacher, to be shared with the building Principal and Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent.

The earlier the application (Program Proposal) are submitted, the earlier a decision regarding approval can be made.

To be approved, the program proposal must meet as many of the following criteria as appropriate:

• The coursework to be done will be of benefit to the school district in a specific way.
• The coursework will assist the teacher in improving his or her teaching or administrative skills. 
• The coursework taken will extend the staff member’s subject matter or specialization knowledge. 
• The coursework will lead to an advanced degree relevant to the staff member’s current assignment or an anticipated one. (Master’s degree)
• The coursework will assist in providing research that may be applied to the individual’s assigned field. 
• The coursework is endorsed by the individual’s immediate supervisor.
• The coursework is taken at the Master’s degree level.
• The coursework is taken at an accredited college or university and can be used towards an advanced degree.  
• Acceptance into a graduate program of studies does not guarantee automatic reimbursement. 

As an incentive for teachers to further their education, to improve their skills, add to their knowledge, and maintain and improve the quality of education in the Brentwood schools, the Board of Education has approved a tuition reimbursement program for teachers pursuing advanced study for college credit.

Tuition Reimbursement Guidelines and Procedures:

Tuition reimbursement will be paid to a teacher who completes master’s level classes at an accredited college or university in pursuit of the Masters or Masters plus 30.

A transcript is required for reimbursement. An official transcript is required for a salary lane change upon completion of the Master’s degree or Masters plus thirty.

• For a Master’s degree:  The district will reimburse teachers 65% of their tuition costs based upon the graduate tuition rate at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. This will include all required fees as charged by the university to include information technology fees and student facility, activity and health fees.  Reimbursement will be the lesser amount of either the rate per semester hour charged by the University of Missouri-St. Louis or the actual cost. 
• For a Masters Plus 30:  Similar guidelines and procedures will apply for the Master’s +30 with the exception that tuition will be reimbursed at the rate of 50% of the University of Missouri-St. Louis graduation tuition rate.  Reimbursement will be the lesser amount of either the rate per semester hour charged by the University of Missouri-St. Louis or the actual cost. 
• Reimbursement will be for no more than 12 credit hours annually.
• Upon successful completion of the course(s) with a B or better, an official transcript along with verification of payment must be submitted to the building principal and forwarded to the Instructional Improvement Coordinator with final approval for payment by the Superintendent. 
• The reimbursement periods are February (first semester), June (second semester), and October (summer school). 
• No payment will be made to teachers who are no longer with the district at the time of reimbursement.  Teachers receiving reimbursement in June will be expected to repay the district for the amount received in June if they are no longer employed by the district for the following school year.  The District has the right to deduct this amount from the employee’s final paycheck. 
• Teacher’s receiving scholarships or grants equal to the full tuition are not eligible to receive reimbursement under this policy.
• If the district requires or requests that a teacher takes a course at the undergraduate or graduate level, the tuition will be paid in full.  Master’s level course will be applied to MA and/or MA+30.
• Certificated staff beyond the Master’s +30 level may apply for complete reimbursement for a course if the teacher can demonstrate that the course is beneficial to the district and that other alternatives such as workshops and conferences are not available. 

The district will pay a $2,500 annual stipend to teachers who complete National Board Certification.  Also, teachers will receive a one-time $500 award to partially defray the cost of certification.

Notify your building Principal and the Instructional Improvement Coordinator of your participation in the certification process.

• Due to the variations in the types of workshops and professional growth programs, credit will be assessed through consultation with the building principal and the teachers.
• An activity lasting six clock hours equals one-half in-service credit. The minimum time to be credited will be two clock hours. Although clock hours may accumulate to credit, staff must accumulate six clock hours of credit before submitting it for calculation.
• No credit will be awarded for any activity, either workshop or professional growth program, for which a teacher receives expenses or a stipend from the district or some other outside agency. Teachers may not earn credit for activities held during a paid work day unless approved by the superintendent.
• Staff members attending district-paid workshops can take additional course work for graduate credit as long as the staff member pays for the cost of the graduate credit.
• During summer vacation periods when school is not in session, the building principal may recommend a specific project for a teacher to complete. Upon completion, the building principal will approve final credit if the project has been completed in keeping with the guidelines under which it was approved.
• The district will accept up to 15 in-service hours towards a Masters +30.