5521-P – Tuition Reimbursement Procedure
Tuition reimbursement is available to regularly employed NWESD 189 employees. Temporary, substitute or on-call employees are not eligible for NWESD 189 tuition reimbursement. Eligible recipients must have worked for the NWESD 189 for a minimum of nine (9) continuous months and be employed by the NWESD 189 while enrolled in a course(s) and at the time tuition reimbursement is requested.
Tuition Reimbursement Timeline and Process:
- Annually following approval of the NWESD 189 budget for the upcoming fiscal year (September 1 to August 31), the Superintendent or designee shall communicate to staff the budgeted amount for the upcoming fiscal year for tuition reimbursement, the requirements and process for requesting such tuition reimbursement, and the maximum amount of tuition reimbursement that can be requested in that fiscal year based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulation.
- Annually between June 1 and August 1, employees may submit to the Payroll/Personnel Administrator Tuition Reimbursement – Request for Approval application (Form 5521-F1) approved by the employee’s supervisor.
- A Tuition Reimbursement Committee comprised of the Assistant Superintendent for Operations, the Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal Services, the Payroll/Personnel Administrator, and two (2) representatives of the Leadership and Communication Council shall meet annually in August to review and approve tuition reimbursement requests. Employees shall be notified of the decision of the Tuition Reimbursement Committee by August 31.
- Eligibility determinations of the Tuition Reimbursement Committee may be appealed to the Superintendent within ten (10) calendar days of the Committee’s eligibility determination. The Superintendent shall render a decision on the appeal within ten (10) calendar days of receipt, and such determinations of the Superintendent shall be final.
- Should the aggregate amount of eligible tuition reimbursement requests exceed the budgeted amount for that fiscal year, the percentage of available funds to approved reimbursement awards will be calculated and based on the proration of that percentage to each eligible request.
- Should the aggregate amount of eligible tuition reimbursement requests not exceed the budgeted amount for that fiscal year, a second application period shall be offered from January 1 to February 15. Employees submitting reimbursement requests during this second application period shall be notified of the decision of the Tuition Reimbursement Committee by March 15.
- By September 1, employees approved for tuition reimbursement must submit a Tuition Reimbursement – Request for Payment form (Form 5521-F2) to the Payroll/Personnel Administrator along with all required supporting verification documentation. Tuition reimbursement payments shall be made to the employee by September 30. If required verification documentation is not submitted by September 1, the employee shall be ineligible for tuition reimbursement.
- The Superintendent maintains the discretion to increase the pool of available funds for tuition reimbursement to meet all eligible requests received in the first round of applications without proration and/or to make additional funds available in a second round of applications.
Tuition Reimbursement Criteria:
- An eligible employee must be regularly employed at the NWESD 189 for a minimum of nine (9) continuous months. Temporary, substitute or on-call employees are not eligible for NWESD 189 tuition reimbursement.
- Classes eligible for tuition reimbursement must be offered by an accredited college or university, must lead to a recognized certification, endorsement, or degree in an NWESD 189 education/agency-related field, and must be approved by the employee’s supervisor as part of the employee’s professional development plan as documented on the Tuition Reimbursement – Request for Approval form (Form 5521-F1).
- Employees must obtain a C grade or higher if a graded course, a pass in a pass/fail course, or a certificate of completion, assessment, or competency.
- The maximum tuition reimbursement an employee may receive in any single fiscal year from all sources is the IRS annual limit for non-taxable tuition reimbursement at the time the employee applies for NWESD 189 tuition reimbursement.
Tuition Reimbursement is Not Available:
- For professional development offerings; courses where credit does not lead to a recognized certificate, endorsement, or degree; staff meetings; business meetings; professional associations; conferences; or personal development workshops.
- For books, supplies, fees, travel, or other course-related costs.
- While an employee is on a paid or unpaid leave of absence from the NWESD 189.
- For amounts in excess of the IRS regulation for non-taxable tuition reimbursement at the time the employee applies for NWESD 189 tuition reimbursement.
- For staff not completing the two-year commitment.
First Reading: 02/27/2023
Second Reading: 03/27/2023
Revised: 09/23/2024
Reference:
Policy 5520 – Staff Development
Form 5521-F1 Request for Approval – Tuition Reimbursement
Form 5521-F2 Request for Payment – Tuition Reimbursement
Date Revised: 09/23/2024