GRADUATE INCREMENT. Pre-approved Courses may be submitted for Tuition Reimbursement that are not accepted by the college or university as fulfillment of requirements for a Master's degree or Doctorate degree. Although eligible for tuition reimbursement when pre-approved by the ACMC, these courses are not eligible for graduate increment. Courses eligible to be used for purposes of Graduate Increment must be pre-approved by the ACMC and accepted by the college or university as partial fulfillment of requirements leading to a Certification program, Master's, Second Master's Degree or Post-Master's degree. The Professional Employee must be enrolled in an approved Certification, Master's, Second Master's Degree or Post-Master's Degree program offered by one of the institutions listed as an approved provider below. When a new hire is made, he/she may be compensated at a level that takes into consideration credits that have been accumulated at a postgraduate level at the District's option. That coursework or a new Program may be considered for approval by the District. New post-hire coursework or a new Program must be given approval by the ACMC. All documents requesting graduate increment must be received in the Superintendents Office prior to September 15th in order that salary adjustments may be made retroactive to September 1, the beginning of the contract year, and the only day upon which graduate increment may be effective. Graduate increment must be requested by the Professional Employee to be granted.
