408.1 - Licensed Employee Professional Development

The board encourages licensed employees to attend and participate in professional development activities to maintain, develop, and extend their skills.  The board will maintain and support an in-service program for licensed employees.  Professional development activities will include activities that promote and/or teach about compliance with applicable Iowa laws. 

For all professional development programs the district requires employees to take, the district will provide to the employee notice indicating the section of the law, or rules adopted by the state board of education or board of educational examiners that the district  requires the employee to participate in the professional development program.

Requests for attendance or participation in a development program, other than those development programs sponsored by the school district, are made to the superintendent.  Approval by the superintendent must be obtained prior to attendance by a licensed employee in a professional development program when the attendance would result in the licensed employee being excused from their duties or when the school district pays the expenses for the program.

The superintendent will have sole discretion to allow or disallow licensed employees to attend or participate in the requested event.  When making this determination, the superintendent will consider the value of the program for the licensed employee and the school district, the effect of the licensed employee’s absence on the education program and school district operations and the school district’s financial situation as well as other factors deemed relevant in the judgment of the superintendent.  Requests that involve unusual expenses or overnight travel must also be approved by the board.

NOTE:  This is a mandatory policy.

NOTE: Boards should adapt IASB sample policies to meet the needs of the local district. Please ensure that the language contained in local policy is consistent with language contained in other district documents (e.g., handbooks, master contracts, etc.).  

 

Legal Reference:           Iowa Code § 279.8, .74.

                                    281 I.A.C. 12.7; 83.6

Cross Reference:           414.9                                                                          Classified Employee Professional Purposes Leave

 

Approved      November 21, 2022             Reviewed                    Revised: September 18, 2023