Professional Development Requirements and Procedures
It is the responsibility of the individual staff member to electronically submit the Professional Day Request Form 14 days before the scheduled Professional Development (especially if there is a registration fee) to the Assistant Superintendent. If advance payment is required, the professional day and requisition must be submitted 30 days before the scheduled Professional Development. The Professional Day Request will be denied if it isn't received insufficient time to process the registration fee. If an overnight stay is being requested, it must be approved by the Board of Education prior to the staff member's absence. For overnight requests, the Professional Day Request Form is to be submitted to the Assistant Superintendent no less than three (3) days prior to the Board-submission deadline date established by the Superintendent (principals/supervisors have this information).
To enter a Professional Day Request, please click the link to Professional Growth (MyLearningPlan.com). If you have forgotten your login information, please click the Forgot Username or Forgot Password links below the Sign In button.
Professional Day Request General Information
- Improved student achievement is the desired result of professional growth. There is an expectation that the staff member's Professional Day experience will be reflected in his/her instruction and it will be discussed as part of the supervisory process.
- Professional days are to be related to the PDP, School-level Professional Development Plans, District Professional Development Plans, ScIP Plans, Curriculum Committees, or specific professional development activities assigned by an administrator.
- Prior to submitting a Professional Day Request, staff members must review with Principal/ Supervisor the District Professional Development Calendar. Requests necessitating a substitute shall not be approved on those days that already have 20 substitutes listed on the Professional Development Calendar or fall on a Monday or Friday.
- Teachers will be asked by the Principal to share information learned at workshops, committee meetings, and seminars via faculty meetings or in some written form.
- No staff member should register for any workshop or conference prior to receiving approval from the Assistant Superintendent and Board of Education as required.
- Board Policy allows for "Regular Business Travel" without Board approval.
- Regular business travel includes NJDOE meetings, association events, in-district meetings, and in-state professional development where the registration fee does not exceed $150 per employee; and, is limited to $1,500 per year per employee.
- Determine if the organization will accept purchase orders in lieu of advance payment. If advance payment is required, it is the employee's responsibility to pay the upfront cost of the workshop or conference and then submit for reimbursement afterward.
- Prior to attending the approved professional development, a requisition must be entered and a purchase order must be approved.
- If any Professional Development request costs $5,000 or more; or more than five people will be attending, you must complete the Out-of-State Request form. Please contact the Business Administrator's office at extension 2040.
- No expenses will be reimbursed without detailed receipts and completed "Travel Justification Summary" and "Travel Expense Reimbursement" forms with a copy of the Professional Growth Professional Development Request Form. All forms must be signed and completed.
- Board Policy allows for "Out-of-State, overnight business travel and any PD request that is $150 or more" which must have prior Board approval.
- Determine if the organization will accept purchase orders in lieu of advance payment. If advance payment is required, it is the employee's responsibility to pay the upfront cost of the workshop or conference and then submit for reimbursement afterward.
- Prior to attending the approved professional development, a requisition must be entered and a purchase order must be approved.
- If any Professional Development request costs $5,000 or more; or more than five people are attending, you must complete the Out-of-State Request Form. Please contact the Business Administrator's office at extension 2040.
- No expenses will be reimbursed without detailed receipts and completed "Travel Justification Summary" and "Travel Expense Reimbursement" forms with a copy of the MyLearningPlan.com Professional Development Request Form and a copy of the BOE agenda item approval minutes. All forms must be signed and completed.
- Any employee submitting a request for mileage reimbursement must have a copy of their current driver's license and insurance card on file in the business office prior to submitting for reimbursement.
- There is no meal reimbursement for same-day travel.
- Lodging for overnight travel will only be approved for out-of-state or in-state that has been approved by the commissioner (note: the vendor applies to the commissioner for approval of the conference/workshop, not the staff member) where home-to-event is greater than 50 miles (by most direct route).
- District funds shall not be committed for overnight expenses prior to Board approval. The Board will not be responsible for reimbursing an employee whose professional day is denied. No requisitions for registrations, airfare, etc., will be processed by the business office unless an approved copy of a Professional Day Request Form is attached.
- The Asst. Superintendent will monitor and update the District Professional Development Calendar.
- Staff members will maintain a copy of the approval form for attachment to the Annual Professional Development Hours Record Form.
Account Numbers
If the Professional Day Request is being generated at the school level, the principal will provide staff member(s) with the account number(s) and requisition number(s) and the staff member(s) will complete the electronic Professional Day Request Form and call the Teachers' Registry. The Requisition (if applicable) will be completed by the principal's office staff. The principal must approve the electronic Professional Day Request Form and requisition (if applicable) in Edumet.
If a District Administrator is conducting/sponsoring a district-level session, he/she will develop a list of participants and notify Principals /Staff Members. Staff Member will be responsible for completing the Professional Day Request Form and calling the Teachers' Registry. If a cost is involved and a requisition is required, the account number and cost will be provided by the District Administrator for Staff Member(s) to place on the Professional Day Request Form. Once the Professional Day Request(s) are approved, the Office of Funded Programs or District Administrator will be responsible for completing the requisition(s).
The electronic copy of the staff member's approved Professional Day Request Form will be maintained in a database. When approval is received, it is the responsibility of the staff member to pre-register (if necessary).
References