ARTICLE 33 - PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

  1. Teachers may be granted salary increments for approved in-service credits.
     

  2. Professional growth credits are semester hours of college graduate credits and/or in-service credits. The Superintendent at each Board meeting, except June, July and August, shall recommend to the Board for approval, after he/she has received and certified that it meets the standards set forth below, those teachers eligible to move one training step on the salary schedule. Verified professional growth credits submitted to the Superintendent in June, July and August shall be recommended to the Board for approval to be effective beginning with the first pay period in September. The teachers’ contracts shall be rewritten and pay adjusted to the first day of the pay period in which the Board meeting is held. It shall be the policy of the Board to compensate teachers for accrued professional credits in the following manner:

    1. A written request for consideration of in-service credits must be submitted for those activities for which in-service credits are not already established. College credits shall not be construed as in-service credits; however, for purposes of calculation, the ratio between college credits and in-service credits shall be six (6) in-service credits to three (3) college semester hours or the equivalent quarter hours.
       

    2. Whenever an eligible teacher has accrued a sufficient number of professional growth credits, that teacher shall be placed in the next appropriate salary class. However, in-service credits may not be utilized by themselves or in conjunction with semester hours of college credits to advance from the B.A. to the M.A. level. Furthermore, no more than twenty (20) in-service credits can be used by themselves or in conjunction with semester hours of college credit beyond each degree level on the salary schedule.
       

    3. The administration shall specify the number of in-service credits to be assigned for each administrative-proposed activity.
       

  3. Professional growth credits may be acquired as follows:

  1. College Graduate Credit: The evidence for college graduate credit shall be the transcript of the course(s), mailed directly from the institution to the Superintendent’s office. The Superintendent shall grant conditional approval subject to the receipt of the transcripts, if he/she is in receipt of the following information from the registrar’s office of the institution: course(s) name(s); hours of credit; date of completion; and statement of successful completion of the course(s).
     

  2. Workshops and Committee Assignments: One (1) in-service credit for each fifteen (15) hours of such participation and/or assignment.
     

  3. In-Service Programs: One (1) in-service credit for each fifteen (15) hours of preparation and/or participation if monetary compensation is not provided by the Board.
     

  4. Research and Publication: One (1) in-service credit for each article published in a professional journal. Books and other materials shall be evaluated by the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. Individual research projects and research entered into with a group shall be evaluated by the Committee.
     

  5. Curriculum: One (1) in-service credit for each major project, defined as one (1) class per semester, or the equivalent if monetary compensation is not provided by the Board.

  1. In-Service Credit Evaluations

    1. The evaluation, interpretation and judgments necessary to the implementation of this policy shall be vested in the Superintendent’s Advisory Council. The Superintendent’s Advisory Council shall include in its membership the President and Vice-President of WTA and one (1) teacher representative from each elementary and secondary school elected by the teachers from each school.
       
    2. This Council shall, by the Wednesday prior to the stated Board meeting as provided in Section B of this Article, receive, evaluate and determine the validity and credit value of all requests for in-service credits and of requests for Professional Growth Advancement. The Council shall make its findings in writing for the Board. The Council shall hear and rule upon appeals concerning interpretation and/or implementation of this policy.
       
    3. When requesting evaluation of a proposal for in-service credit, a teacher may ask that special advisors be called to assist in such evaluation. Such advisors may be: building principal, curriculum supervisor, teacher, outside person, if pertinent. Such advisors shall not exceed three (3) in number and shall have voice but no vote in the final determination by the Council.
       
    4. In all instances, the WTA President, Vice President and teacher and administrative representatives shall be the only members of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council who are eligible to vote on issues that are solely applicable to WTA bargaining unit members.