Policy 526 - Reimbursement for Professional Expenses and Training
Adopted on March 11, 2021
Effective March 11, 2021
The Board authorizes reimbursement to professional and other staff for the following expenses related to their official duties and / or training in service of the Board's goals and objectives.
Expenses Incurred Related to Professional Development
Any employee who completes professional development related to his / her official duties and obtains prior authorization from his / her supervisor and the Superintendent may be reimbursed for required expenses related to this professional development, including but not limited to the cost of registration, books, or other materials. These costs may include membership fees in a professional organization for the employee if such fees are included as part of the cost of attending or participating in professional development. These costs may or may not be related to those incurred under Policy 850 but are subject to the same conditions.
Should an employee participate in professional development outside of his / her usual annual contracted days, he / she may be further reimbursed for his / her time spent directly engaged in professional development, rounded to the nearest hour, through payment of a stipend provided he / she obtains prior authorization from his / her supervisor and the Superintendent. Such stipend shall be considered part of his / her wages for the calendar year and shall be processed and reported as required under Policy 840.
The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines detailing the procedures by which such professional development shall be authorized and the method and rates by which reimbursement shall be requested and paid.
Expenses Incurred Related to Advanced Licensure or Certification
Any employee who completes national licensure or certification directly related to his / her official duties may apply for reimbursement of any required expense incurred to obtain such licensure or certification. For the purposes of this policy, "national licensure or certification" shall be limited to those listed in WV Code 18A-4-2a and 18A-4-2b. Any such employee shall first apply for reimbursement of eligible expenses with the West Virginia Department of Education as detailed in West Virginia Board of Education Policy 5202 and shall only apply to the Board for reimbursement of these expenses after receiving in writing denial of reimbursement by WVDE.
Expenses incurred related to such licensure or certification may include but are not limited to application fees, renewal fees, required books and materials, and any reasonable expense incurred for the purchase or rental of equipment for a required activity, provided that the employee first seek to make use of Board-owned equipment prior to purchasing and / or requesting reimbursement.
Expenses Incurred Related to Initial Certification
Should the Board employ an individual who lacks initial certification in the area in which he / she is employed through the use of a First-Class Full-Time Permit, the individual may apply for reimbursement for any expenses incurred in the completion of required coursework or training related to this certification, limited to tuition and required fees. This reimbursement shall be paid under the same conditions applied to those who complete certification in an area of critical need or shortage per Policy 512, including the limitations on tuition and fees paid to private and / or out-of-state institutions per WVBE Policy 5202 and the requirement on service to the Board in the administrative guidelines that accompany Policy 512.
Under no circumstances shall the Board reimburse an individual for the cost of any WVDE-required application fee or related transaction, including background check, physical examination, or transcript fee, except where required to do so by law.
This page accessed on May 6, 2024 @ 7:06 am.