Tuition Assistance

Article 22: Reimbursements

A. Tuition

1. The employer and the Union recognize the need for the development and training of qualified employees to partially fulfill the employer’s work-force requirements.
2. Unit members shall be reimbursed up to $2,225.00 per fiscal year or the actual cost, whichever is less, for costs associated with job-related college course work and/or specialized training. Requests for reimbursement must have the approval of the Superintendent or his or her designated agent prior to enrollment in the college course and/or training program.
3. The following conditions shall apply to reimbursement:
   1. Course work/specialized training for which reimbursement is made must be job-related and have the approval of the Superintendent or his or her designee prior to enrollment.
   2. In graded courses, the employee must earn a grade of C or better before reimbursement will be approved. In ungraded courses/specialized training, the employee must provide documentation of satisfactory completion of all requirements before reimbursement will be made.
   3. Employees reimbursed for course work and/or specialized training during any portion of a fiscal year must work in the county for the following fiscal year. In the event that the employee receives reimbursement and is unable to be employed in the county the following year, the employee obligates himself or herself to return the amount reimbursed to the Board. If such funds are not reimbursed, the equivalent amount shall be deducted from his or her final paycheck. Unit members who are laid off as a result of a RIF will not be obligated by this provision.
   4. Any additional financial assistance or allowance received beyond the actual costs incurred by the employee will be deducted from the amount which the employee would be reimbursed under the formula stated above.
   5. In the event an employee cannot be reimbursed because of budget limitations, he or she will be paid prior to new applicants in the next fiscal year.

Article 17: Tuition Reimbursement and Staff Development

1. Certificated professional employees holding a Conditional, SPC or APC shall be reimbursed up to $2,500.00 per employee per fiscal year based on the following schedule. Additional tuition reimbursement beyond the $2,500.00 limit may be provided at the discretion of the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. Tuition increases through FY 25 are documented in the chart below.

   Purpose	FY22	FY23	FY 24	FY 25
   General	$2,500	$2,650	$2,850	$3,000

   *This amount denotes the maximum amount per year, not a cumulative.
2. The following conditions shall apply to reimbursement:

• MSDE or College courses for employees with a Bachelor’s degree must be in a job-related area and have approval of the Superintendent or his or her designee prior to enrollment in the course. The courses for employees with a Master’s degree must be in a job-related area and have approval of the Superintendent or his or her designee prior to enrollment in the course.
• Employees with a Bachelor’s degree must earn a grade of C or better and the employee with a Master’s degree must earn a grade of B or better before reimbursement will be approved. Payment will be requisitioned upon presentation of final grades and receipt showing tuition payment.
• With the exception of extenuating circumstances, certificated employees who receive tuition reimbursement and leave employment within two (2) years of receiving reimbursement shall be required to repay the monies received. The employee may pay monies owed directly or they may have the amount deducted from their last paycheck. The entire obligation must be satisfied within six (6) months of the employee leaving CCPS.
• The total expenditure for this purpose shall not exceed the amounts listed in A above per employee or a total budget limitation of $500,000 for all requests per year.
• In the event an employee cannot be reimbursed because of budget limitations, he or she will be paid prior to new claimants in the next fiscal year.
• Employees approved for courses will be able to participate in a pre-paid tuition reimbursement program with colleges who have agreed to participate with the Charles County Board of Education. The employee will pay only the difference between the actual tuition and the amount approved for reimbursement. The 45 | P a g e grade requirements described in Section B, 2 will apply to this pre-paid tuition program. If the employee fails to achieve the grades required, the full cost of tuition will be recovered from the employee.
• If a person is teaching out of his or her area of certification and is requested by the Board to take course work to continue teaching in that area, the Board will pay the full tuition cost for subject course work. The course work must be approved in advance of the teacher beginning the course in order for this provision to be applied.
• Employees who participate in paid conferences or workshops offered by the Board through staff development will receive their agreed stipend within thirty (30) days following completion of the workshops or tasks.
• Once in every two (2) year period employees may utilize tuition reimbursement and/or staff development funds to attend individualized professional development programs (seminars, conferences, etc.) by securing approval through the office of School Administration.
• The Education Association of Charles County will be given an opportunity to present training opportunities for certificated employees, and will forward a list of potential workshops/classes to the Superintendent or his or her designee for approval. These trainings may be made available on county and school in-service days with the approval of the Superintendent or his or her designee.
• The EACC will be allotted one full session at New Teacher Orientation to present a workshop or training to new teachers.