1. How many credits can I be reimbursed?
HCPSS will reimburse
teachers and other certified personnel up to 45 graduate credits
and 24 undergraduate credits. Other employee groups should check
their negotiated agreement.
2. How much will I be reimbursed?
HCPSS will reimburse up to $225 per graduate credit and $155
per undergraduate credit hour. HCPSS will not reimburse registration
fees, lab fees, books, etc.
3. Do I need prior approval to receive tuition reimbursement?
Classified employees, nurses, and AMT must have all courses
approved prior to submitting a reimbursement request. The Request for Course Approval
form can be found at the top of this web page, at your school in the main office, or the Office
of Human Resources located at the Central Office building.
Prior approval is not required for reimbursement for teachers
and other certified personnel; however, reimbursement will be
considered only for courses in the employee's current teaching
assignment or a Maryland State Department of Education certification
field.
4. What if I use up all of my tuition reimbursement allotment
(for teachers and other certified personnel)?
If you need credits to renew your teaching certificate and
you've exhausted your:
A) 45 graduate credit tuition reimbursement allotment, you may
apply additional graduate credits to any of your unused undergraduate
credit allotment at the graduate rate.
B) 24 undergraduate credit tuition reimbursement allotment, you
may apply additional undergraduate credits to any of your unused
graduate credit allotment at the undergraduate rate.
5. Can I be reimbursed for Continuing Professional Development
(CPD) courses?
Yes, make a copy of your pink CPD form and submit the copy
with a completed Tuition Reimbursement Request form. CPD courses
will count as part of the 24 undergraduate credits allotment for
teachers and other certified personnel.
6. How do I get my reimbursement?
After completing your course, attach the original grade report
or official transcript to a Tuition Reimbursement form.
Complete the form and submit it to "Tuition Reimbursement
c/o Human Resources". The Tuition Reimbursement form
can be found at the top of this web page, at your school in the main office, or the Office of
Human Resources located at the Central Office building.
7. When must I request tuition reimbursement?
The tuition reimbursement allotment is based on the Department
of Education's current fiscal year budget; therefore, submit your
Tuition Reimbursement Request form and original grade report or
official transcript at the end of each semester. Do not hold onto
these requests! Submit them immediately because no funds exist
for retroactive reimbursement!
8. What if my college/university does not issue grade reports
for courses?
You must order an official transcript and attach it to the
Tuition Reimbursement Request form.
9. I just received a photocopy of my grade report
or transcript. What does this mean?
This means your request is being processed and you should
receive a separate check within 4-8 weeks. If your tuition
reimbursement is processed during the school year, your check
will be sent to your school/office. If your tuition reimbursement
is processed during the summer, your check will be sent to your
home address that is on file. "Name/Address Change"
forms can be found at your school in the main office or the Office
of Human Resources located at the Central Office building.
10. How do I verify completion of a CPD course?
If you are an employee in a position which requires Maryland
certification: When you complete a CPD course, the Office of Staff Development
will forward a 3-part form to HR:
- Pink copy - HR will send to you and is your file copy
- Yellow copy - HR retains in your HCPSS certification
file
- White copy - HR will forward to the Maryland State
Department of Education upon
certificate renewal and will become a part of your official State
certification file
If you are an employee in a position which DOES NOT require
Maryland certification: When you complete a CPD course, the Office of Staff Development
Center will forward a 3-part form to HR:
- Pink copy - HR will send to you and is your file copy
- Yellow and White copy - HR retains in your HCPSS personnel
file
11. How do I document college/university course work
for the renewal of my certificate?
If you are an employee in a position which requires Maryland
certification and you received tuition reimbursement, the original
grade report or official transcript you submitted to receive reimbursement
is placed in your HCPSS certification file and will be forwarded
to the Maryland State Department of Education upon certificate
renewal and will become a part of your official State certification
file.
12. Is there anything else I need to know?
A reimbursement request can not be processed without an original
grade report or official transcript. If your form is filled out
completely and correctly, it will help us in processing your request
quickly.
Indicate salary changes, certification requests, etc. in the
"Comments" section of the Tuition Reimbursement Request
form.
For employees on the "Teacher" salary scale:
- For the Bachelor's + 30 salary scale, a minimum of 15 credits
of the + 30 must be graduate credits.
- For the Master's +30 salary scale, all of the +30 credits
must be graduate credits.
