PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT A. Tuition costs incurred by administrator shall be reimbursed by the Board of Education under the following terms and conditions:
1. Tuition costs eligible for reimbursement must be for courses in the field of education. In addition, courses not in the field of education but closely related may be approved for reimbursement at the sole discretion of the Superintendent or his/her designee in advance of enrollment. Reimbursement will not be made until satisfactory evidence of having received a passing grade is presented.
2. Reimbursement for actual tuition costs incurred by a member shall be limited to a maximum reimbursement of the average tuition cost for twelve (12) graduate/Doctoral level credits at the following four (4) state universities: Rutgers, Rowan, College of New Jersey, and Montclair computed annually. Masters’ degree maximum will be limited to the average Masters’ level cost and Doctorate degree maximum will be limited to the average Doctoral level cost.
3. The date on which a course is completed will determine the contract year in which the credits will be applicable for reimbursement.
4. Non-tenured members shall be eligible for reimbursement at the level set forth in Subsection 2 above, for tuition costs incurred for graduate credits earned during a period after the award of a first-year contract, but prior to the commencement of work under a tenured contract; provided however, such reimbursement shall not be payable to such member unless and until said member has commenced work under a tenure contract.
5. Upon satisfactory compliance by the member with all of the terms and conditions set forth in the preceding subsections, such member shall be paid his/her reimbursement entitlement on either October 2 for the prior Spring and Summer course work taken, or April 1 for the prior Fall course work provided that the member is still in the employ of the Board on such date. Such payment shall be further conditioned on said member remaining in the employ of the Board for the remainder of the current school year. In the event that such member shall leave the employ of the Board prior to the expiration of the school year in which such reimbursement entitlement has been paid, such member shall be obligated to refund to the Board the entire reimbursement paid to him/her during such school year, and for such purpose, the Board shall be empowered to deduct said sum from such member’s salary payments.
6. No member shall be eligible for tuition reimbursement in connection with tuition costs incurred that are paid by the Veteran’s Administration or any other outside agency.
7. Upon earning tenure in the district as an administrator, the Board of Education shall reimburse the administrator costs associated with their participation in the New Jersey State Mentoring and Assessment Program. Participation in the Mentoring and Assessment Program must have occurred entirely during the time of employment in the Washington Township Public School District.
