RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOLS
CAREER ENHANCEMENT GUIDELINES
[Staff Development for Eligible Classified Employees]
Rationale
The Career Enhancement Program is designed to encourage eligible classified employees who are paid from the salary schedule to enter a self-development program which may help them achieve improved success in their current job, upgrade their employment skills, provide them an incentive to move up within their own career ladder, or move into an alternative career ladder.
Program Administration
Responsibility for the administration of this program lies with the Director of Staff Development. The Career Enhancement Committee assists the Director in this task. It includes two representatives from each of the eligible classified employee groups who serve two-year staggered terms. Standing committee members are the Director and secretary for the Staff Development Office.
The committee addresses the following issues:
A. Recommends to the Director of Staff Development approval of classes for Career Enhancement credits to be offered Fall, Spring, and Summer.
B. Oversees the Career Enhancement Program, and recommends to the Director of Staff Development any necessary changes in the program.
Employee Eligibility
A. Employees must be a member of one of the following employee bargaining groups: Clerical, Paraprofessional, Food Service, or Professional Non-degree.
B. While credits may be earned during the first year of service, employees must have
successfully completed one full year of service and work a minimum of twenty hours per week to be eligible for the $250.00 credit payment.
Course Eligibility
A. Approved Classes: Any class reviewed by the Career Enhancement Committee and included in flyers published by the Office of Staff Development as courses eligible for Career Enhancement credit are automatically approved for such credit payment. No separate application needs to be submitted prior to taking the class.
B. Other Classes: Other classes or experiences not previously reviewed by the Career Enhancement Committee may, at the sole discretion of the Director of Staff Development, be approved for either work skills or wellness credit. An employee taking a class for college credit can use the class for Career Enhancement credit. Each college credit is equal to 15 Career Enhancement credits. An application for credit approval must be submitted to the Office of Staff Development prior to taking any class not previously reviewed by the Career Enhancement Committee. The employee will be advised in writing, prior to the class or experience if it has been approved for Career Enhancement credit.
C. Staff Development Credits - These credits received for classes which provide participants knowledge and skills directly related to the content or processes used in performing their currently assigned responsibilities, or to employment in other career ladders available in the Rapid City Area Schools (RCAS).
D. Wellness Credits - These credits received for classes or experiences which promote the health and well being of the employee. Such classes or experiences should not be primarily recreational in nature, but should be experiences which seek to teach participants healthy living skills. Courses must be conducted by a qualified instructor and pre-approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor and the Director of Staff Development. The employee should provide a flyer or any printed information available about the class.
Additional Program Guidelines
A. A total of 50 hours are needed to qualify for a credit payment of $250.00.
B. Classes or experiences must be taken outside work hours or on leave time and may not
be paid for by the district.
C. One clock hour of classroom training is worth one Career Enhancement credit.
D. An employee may take up to four years to complete the hours required for the Career
Enhancement credit. Employees are allowed only one credit payment per fiscal year.
E. An employee may continue to take classes in the same fiscal year after receiving a credit payment (up to an accumulation of 50 hours). However, he/she may not receive another credit payment after July 1st of the next year.
F. Records of Career Enhancement credits will be maintained in the Office of Staff Development. Duplicate records will be sent to the Office of Human Resources to be placed in the employee’s personnel file.
G. Employees may not repeat a class for additional credits.
H. Hours for wellness training will be restricted to a total of 10 of the 50 credits.
I. After earning 50 approved Career Enhancement credits, the employee’s name will be listed on the agenda for the RCAS Board of Education’s approval. After Board approval, payment will be made in the employee’s next regularly scheduled paycheck.
Rev.10/3/95
Rev. 2/5/01
Rev. 7/8/02