Graduate-level coursework will be eligible for tuition reimbursement as long as the course is approved, a grade of "B" or higher is earned, and the teacher has not yet acquired a 1st master's degree. Tuition will be reimbursed at the rate established in the current negotiated teacher's contract. After a teacher acquires a master's degree, the teacher becomes ineligible for tuition reimbursement of any kind.

All approved courses are eligible for credit hours toward salary lane advancement.

Teachers will print the Course Approval Form from Google Drive and complete the necessary information. Teachers should check to make sure the course is not on the list of Denied External Courses before submitting the approval form to their division leader (DL).  Teachers should also check the list of Approved External Courses.  Any courses on this list will be approved pending review by the teacher's DL, leading to a determination that the course applies to the teacher's assignment.  If the course is not on the list, teachers MUST attach a syllabus to the course approval form for review purposes and then submit the course approval form to their DL for initial review.  If the DL approves, it will be forwarded to the district curriculum and assessment office so paperwork completion can be verified and logged.  The form will then be sent to the building principal for further review.  The building principal will issue approval or denial for the course.  If the course is denied, a rationale for the decision will be provided with the response from the principal.

Program approval is awarded by the district to indicate that the certified faculty member's focus of study is aligned with the certified staff member's professional practice, content area, or an area of need within the district.  Course approvals are granted individually and independently from program approvals.  Just because a program is approved does not mean that each course within the program will be approved. Program approvals are only required for certified staff members seeking their first Master's degree.

If a teacher's course approval request is denied by the principal, the teacher can appeal the ruling if the course is a post-master's course.  This is accomplished by completing the appeal section on the back of the course approval form and filing it with the Director of Teaching and Learning, Curriculum and Pathways. The appeal request will be reviewed by an appeals committee composed of four administrators and four Association members.  The decision of the appeals committee is final and non-grievable.