Professional Status Graduate Study Reimbursement
Unit A Staff (Teachers Contract)
All staff members under the BPS Teachers contract are eligible to receive Graduate Study reimbursement per Article 37 - Professional Improvement:
The Bedford School Committee will reimburse professional school personnel who undertake graduate study courses in the pursuit of professional improvement. This reimbursement shall be in an amount equal to fifty (50) percent of the actual tuition cost of the courses to be taken and 50% of tuition and mandated fees of the courses taken at a Massachusetts State College or University, provided the following terms and conditions are met:
1. Professional Status. Eligibility requires that a professional member has achieved professional status in the Bedford Schools
2. Matriculation. All courses undertaken must be applied to the attainment of an advanced degree, i.e., Master’s Degree, Certification of Advanced Study (including a C.A.G.S. and Six Year Professional Certificate), or a Doctor’s Degree at an accredited college or university subject to the Superintendent’s prior approval of the course of studies, and other courses with prior approval of the Superintendent. In either case, the Superintendent’s approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In all cases in which the Superintendent denies approval the Superintendent shall communicate the reasons for such denial in writing to the teacher
3. Official Transcript. Evidence of successful completion of the approved courses must be submitted to the Office of the Superintendent of Schools
4. Maximum Number of Semester Hours. Professional staff members shall be limited in the number of semester hours which may be included in this reimbursement policy to a maximum of six (6) hours per semester and six (6) hours per summer session.
5. Veterans. Military veterans who are pursuing their graduate study at institutions of higher learning, in which they are privileged by exemption from tuition charges, shall not be further reimbursed under this policy
6. Method of Reimbursement Payment. When evidence of successful completion of approved courses is submitted along with the receipt of payment of the tuition charges to the college or university, a fifty percent reimbursement voucher will be drawn on behalf of the professional staff member and payment will follow shortly thereafter.
7. Graduate study vouchers may be awarded to staff members when available in lieu of any graduate study reimbursement
8. All teachers who begin employment on or after July 1, 2002 shall be required to complete the IDEAS course or a comparable anti-racism course approved by the Superintendent within the first three
(3) years, at no cost to the teacher. The teacher, upon completion of the IDEAS course, will be awarded two (2) in-service credits
Graduate Reimbursement Process
All forms should be submitted to the HR Department: hrdept@bedfordps.org.
- By September 15 of the current calendar year, submit the Professional Status Graduate Study Initial Request (form 1 of 3) to request approval for reimbursement for courses you are currently enrolled in or will be enrolled in prior to June 30th of the next calendar year. Notifications will not be accepted after September 15.
- Once you have enrolled in a course(s), please complete the Professional Status Graduate Study Reimbursement Notification (form 2 of 3). You must also submit proof of enrollment and proof of payment in the marked section of the Google form.
- One the course(s) are completed, submit the Course Reimbursement Request Form (form 3 of 3). Along with this form, you must submit evidence of successful course completion via an official transcript sent direct to the HR Department. The official transcripts may be sent electronically to the HR Department email (hrdept@bedfordps.org) or they may be mailed to the office at the following address:
ATTN: HR Department
Bedford Public Schools
97 McMahon Road
Bedford, MA 01730
Please contact the HR Department with any questions about this process.