News

Updates to the Tuition Reimbursement Process

The Office of Human Resources is excited to announce a change in process for Tuition Reimbursement. While developing the new process, our office implemented improvements based upon feedback from employees.

The new process for tuition reimbursement allows for multiple employee benefits including:

Faster approval and reimbursement times
Self-service visibility of expense report status
Decrease in employees costs associated with official transcript requests
Automated routing for course approval

Before employees decide to participate in tuition reimbursement with HCPSS, we encourage review of their respective negotiated agreement and the tuition Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to ensure they understand the submission requirements and timelines.

The steps of the new process are outlined below. Employees should use these steps to request reimbursement for all coursework for which they have not already been reimbursed.

Note: Use the following instructions to view courses that have previously been reimbursed or are in the reimbursement process. THESE REQUESTS DO NOT NEED TO BE RE-SUBMITTED.

Before Your Course Begins:

Determine if you require course Pre-Approval- The employee groups listed below are required to receive course approval BEFORE the course begins. Note: If you do not know your bargaining unit, you can view this information in Workday by selecting your picture in the top right-hand corner, “View Profile”, select Job from the blue navigation pane and select Organizations. Locate your employee group under Bargaining Unit Type.
1. All employees within the HCEA-ESP bargaining unit- i.e. paraeducators, student assistants, liaisons, secretaries, etc.
2. All employees within the AFSCME bargaining unit- i.e. custodians, maintenance, grounds, etc.
3. Licensed Professionals within the HCEA bargaining unit- i.e. occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, social workers, etc.
Yes- Complete Tuition Pre Approval - If you fall within a required group outlined above, you will need to complete course approval to be eligible for reimbursement at the conclusion of your course. Employees should submit this request using the Service Request System which is accessible from the Staff Hub. Use the following instructions to complete the request: Tuition Reimbursement Pre-approval
No- No action is required before your course begins. Follow the steps outlined for after your course is complete to submit for reimbursement.

After Your Course is Complete:

Gather Required Documents for Submission- The documents required for submission will vary depending on the type of reimbursement you are submitting and your bargaining unit. You should be prepared to provide the following:
1. Tuition Reimbursement Request Form- This is required for all reimbursement requests.
2. Unofficial Transcript or Grade Report- Document from the educational institution that shows the student’s name, coursework, issued grade, number of credits, and the start and end date of the course(s) for which you are requesting reimbursement. This can usually be downloaded from your student account once the course is completed. (Required for College Credit Hour Reimbursement)
3. Proof of Tuition Cost- Itemized student statement, receipt or bill issued from the educational institution which shows the student’s name, course(s) name, number of credits, cost of tuition by credit hour. (Required for College Credit Hour, CPD, and CEU Reimbursement)
4. Proof of Payment- Student account statement from the educational institution, personal credit card statement, bank statement or cleared check showing payment of tuition. (Required for College Credit Hour, CPD, and CEU Reimbursement)
5. CPD Credit Form- Document from showing participation and completion of the CPD course, signed by both the instructor and professional development liaison. (CPD Reimbursement)
6. Certificate of Completion- Document from the educational institution or instructor showing participation and completion of the course (CEU Reimbursement).
7. Course Approval Form- Completed PDF showing pre-approval of the course or program completed using the Service Request System referenced in #2 above. (College Credit Reimbursement for HCEA-ESP and AFSCME employees and CEU Reimbursement for HCEA employees) Note: If you received course approval using the paper form for a recently completed or on-going course, please submit that document with your reimbursement.
Submit Expense Reimbursement for Tuition Reimbursement- All employees seeking reimbursement will be required to submit an expense report in Workday with the correct documents within 60 days of course completion to be considered for reimbursement. Use the following instructions to complete the request: Create an Expense Report for Tuition Reimbursement.

Once you have submitted your reimbursement, any communication regarding required changes will occur directly in the Workday system. To check on the status of your reimbursement, return to the Expenses application in the Recent Expense Reports section.

We understand that HCPSS employees appreciate the ability to independently determine the status of requests and to answer questions using pre-developed documentation. Our office has developed many resources for your review to support this change. Please use these resources to answer any questions you may have about the process. All other inquiries may be sent to humanresources@hcpss.org.

Workday Community-Expenses-Tuition Reimbursement

Tuition Reimbursement Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

More information regarding types of documentation required for reimbursement types:
College Credit Hours Reimbursement
Continuing Education Units
Continuing Professional Development Credits

Congratulations New/Renewed National Board Certified Teachers!

Congratulations to the 76 teachers who achieved certification in December 2022—22 first-time achievers and 54 who renewed their certification!

National Board Certification (NBC) is the highest-level credential in the educational profession. Teachers who achieve National Board Certification have met rigorous standards through intensive study, self-assessment, peer review and expert evaluation.

Howard County is among the top five Maryland districts by historical number of NBCTs, with a total of 212 teachers who have achieved national certification. HCPSS is also among the top five Maryland districts for the number of current National Board candidates, with more than 400 teachers pursuing certification.

HCPSS educators interested in pursuing their National Board Certification should join the HCPSS NBC Canvas community to learn more about SY23-24 cohort opportunities and contact Jennifer Hlavka with any questions.

The newly certified achievers are:

Catherine Baruah, Reading Specialist, Longfellow Elementary School
Karina Borkowski, Teacher – Secondary English, Howard High School
Victoria Borowy, Grade 1, St. John’s Lane Elementary
Jenna Boule, Kindergarten, Triadelphia Ridge Elementary
Monica Bunai, Secondary English, Long Reach High School
Julia Carter, Secondary English, Howard High School
Beth Ceglia, Secondary Social Studies, Clarksville Middle School
Allison Deacon, Secondary Mathematics, Oakland Mills High School
Stephanie Hastings, Library Media Specialist, Lisbon Elementary School
Samantha Hendershot. Secondary Mathematics, Glenelg High School
Melissa Kiehl, Gifted & Talented Resource Teacher, Mt. Hebron High School
Katherine McNamara, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Hammond High School
Laura Nelson, Health Education, Oakland Mills High School
Nancy Paik, Grade 1, Elkridge Elementary School
Christina Renoud, Elementary ESOL, Stevens Forest Elementary School
Shannon Ryan. Secondary English, Howard High School
Kate Sandoval, Elementary Math Specialist, Bollman Bridge Elementary School
Jamie Saperstein. Kindergarten, Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School
Courtney Shoemaker, Grade 3, Waterloo Elementary School
Kylie Spencer, Kindergarten, Bushy Park Elementary School
Ben Townsend, Secondary English, Wilde Lake High School
Emily Warner, Reading Specialist, Howard High School

A complete list of newly certified and renewal achievers can be found online.

Get to Know Kareem Penn, Assistant Principal, River Hill High School

Why did you choose to work in education?
Education was not my first career choice. I always imagined that I would argue cases as an attorney, serve as a member of Congress, and later hear cases as a United States Supreme Court Justice. But life has a funny way of pointing you where you are most needed, and where you will have tremendous influence and a significant impact on young people's lives, families, and communities. It turns out that need was in the field of education.

I view education as a vehicle on the road to access, opportunity, and choice. Yet, for many young people, the road to these three destinations is met with many obstacles and barriers. As an educational leader, it is my responsibility to help students overcome those obstacles and provide them with the tools they need to break down the barriers they face daily. My goal is to teach students how to effectively use the tools so that they may become more self-sufficient and independent. I hope to provide students with enough exposure to and knowledge of the tools so that they can use them to gain access through the toll booth, continue on the highway of opportunity, and choose their destinations on the road we call life.

photo of Kareem Penn

What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
Never not do something because you are afraid to fail. Take risks. Failure will provide you with an answer but regret will always leave you questioning.

What is something you like a lot that would surprise people?
I love to cook. I love the creativity that cooking allows me to have. My favorite cuisine to cook is Italian food.

What is on your bucket list?
I want to open my own restaurant that specializes in authentic cuisine from all over the world. I would also like to go skydiving.

What is the most interesting place you’ve ever been?
If you love history then I recommend the World War II Tour in Europe. I traveled to Caen and Paris, France; Luxembourg, Belgium; and Berlin and Nuremberg, Germany. It was one of the best trips of my life. There is so much history like the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Pointe Du Hoc, the Beaches at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, Olympic stadium, and so much more.

What college/university did you attend, and why?
I attended Virginia State University, a Historically Black College and University. I chose VSU because I felt that it provided me with the best opportunities to be successful in life. VSU gave me tools to navigate the world. It helped me see that the world was much bigger than my hometown of Staten Island, NY. I graduated from VSU knowing and believing that I have a place in this world, and whatever role I was going to play was going to be impactful as well as influential.

Electronic sharing best practices

All staff are reminded to NEVER use “Howard County Public School System” or “Anyone with the link” when sharing materials that contain student or staff confidential information such as IEPs. Staff should only share directly with individuals who need access to the documents as part of their job function.

Under FERPA, you cannot share non-directory, PII information without parental consent. Non-directory information is educational records that are more sensitive than directory information, such as social security and student ID numbers, grades, disciplinary history, and attendance records.

When it is necessary to share sensitive and/or confidential data electronically, staff should save the file in a secure location and provide access by granting permissions to only the necessary staff members. At no time should a staff member share confidential data with other people who do not already have access to the same data.

! Call to Action ! Staff can store files in their HCPSS G Suite account and provide direct access to individuals in the intended audience. This procedure allows staff to revoke access to the information when necessary. Review the G Suite Sharing Guide and Electronic Communications Best Practices to learn more.

! Warning !

Sharing files with “Howard County Public School System” makes the file available to all staff and students.
Under FERPA, you cannot share non-directory, Personally Identifiable I information without parental consent.
Staff are reminded to verify intended recipients' email addresses prior to sending emails or sharing files. Staff email addresses can be verified by searching and finding a person in Workday (Workday Search QRC - pdf). Once you have reviewed the staff member’s job title, location and/or picture, click on the email icon under their picture to see their HCPSS email address.
The penalty for non-compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) can be withdrawal of U.S. Department of Education funds from the institution or agency that has violated the law. This applies to schools, school districts, and state education agencies. The Family Policy Compliance Office of the U.S. Department of Education, charged with reviewing and investigating complaints, seeks to promote voluntary compliance with the law.

If you have any questions about how to use the sharing permissions in G Suite or using Workday to verify a staff member’s email address, contact Technology Support at techsupport@hcpss.org or (410) 313-7004 option 4.