01.09.16 - Procedures for Tuition Payment

Procedures for Tuition Payment (01.09.16/03-2015)

1. Employees may be eligible for payment of tuition and cost of books, less any outside financial assistance, if course or training is required for a post-secondary degree in early childhood education.
2. Payment may be approved for courses that lead toward completion of a degree required by the Head Start Bureau for the position.
3. Payment may not exceed 100% of the tuition and lab costs at a public or private institution, plus book costs, with books becoming the property of the program. Employees who wish to keep their books must pay their own cost.
4. Payment may be provided for childcare fees and mileage to and from school.
5. Employees who accept agency payment incur a work commitment to the Head Start program.
6. Tuition is not an unconditional employee right or benefit and is contingent upon management approval and availability of funds.
7. Conditions
   1. Following completion of a course, employee must provide a copy of their grade slip ("C" or better is required) as evidence of satisfactory completion. This includes pass/fail courses completed at a "pass" level.
   2. If a "C" or better or "pass" grade is not received, no further payments of tuition, fees, and/or books will be provided until employee reimburses the center (employer) for the failed class. This reimbursement should include the tuition, fees, and book costs that had been paid by the center for the failed class.
   3. An employee who receives tuition or registration payment in a year shall be obligated to continue employment for the following season.
   4. If program-paid training leads to a degree, the employee incurs a work commitment of two seasons.
   5. If the employee voluntarily leaves the program's employment prior to fulfilling the work commitment, the program may recover payments.