Tuition Reimbursement Application  
Please complete the Tuition Reimbursement Application for Teachers on-line using the Google Form here: https://forms.gle/R1U9G9X5yoXGEADp9.

(You must log into your RCSD Google account [Your 7-digit ID#]@rcsd121.org and use your district password.)

Tuition Reimbursement Information
Tuition reimbursement is available for teachers who are in the process of obtaining their first Master's Degree toward Professional Certification, or for teachers who are seeking additional certification in one of the District-designated shortage areas (see Office of Human Capital-Shortage Areas).  Qualified applicants may be reimbursed per contract at the "lowest rate for comparable course offerings" (typically, the SUNY tuition rate). Full-time and part-time teachers (0.5 or more) are eligible. Per diem substitutes are not eligible. Coursework toward administrator certification or degrees in school administration is not eligible for reimbursement. CIT is unable to reimburse for undergraduate coursework.

Applications for tuition reimbursement are due at least 30 days prior to the start of the course.  In order to expedite the process, it is important that all information on the application be completed. A maximum of 36 credit hours may be reimbursed. Please note that each year, after receiving $5250 in the calendar year (January-December), federal regulations require tuition reimbursement to be taxable. [Find information on loan forgiveness here: www.hesc.ny.gov]

Approval  

Approximately 3 weeks after the application is reviewed, the CIT office emails a letter indicating whether the application has been approved.

Course Completion & Reimbursement

Once approved for tuition reimbursement, the teacher completes all registration processes and pays for approved courses in full.

After completing the approved courses, the teacher submits the original tuition invoice with proof of payment (in the form of an itemized paid bill showing a zero balance for the relevant semester) AND a copy of the final grade report. Successful completion of a course requires a grade of 'C' or higher.

Please submit documents as email attachments to CIT@rcsdk12.org with the subject line, "Tuition Reimbursement." Please avoid screenshots, photos, or images pasted into word processing documents.  The relevant college website pages ("Account Activity" or "View Grades") should have features that allow you to download these documents or print/save to PDF directly. [Document requirements are based upon Internal Revenue service guidelines and generally accepted accounting principles (RCSD Business Services Procedures and Reference Manual, 2003-04 Ed. P 3.)]

Please note that once proper documentation is received, it may take 2-3 weeks for the reimbursement request to be processed and sent to Payroll and another 2-3 weeks (4-6 weeks total) before the reimbursement appears in a teacher's paycheck.

A service commitment of four (4) semesters is required after the conclusion of the last course taken. If a resignation or separation from the district occurs before the service commitment is fulfilled, a refund may be owed to the district. (For details, please review RCSD-RTA Contract Section 49.3.f.)

Once the documentation is received, the CIT Office will process the information and submit the required form to the RCSD Payroll department. The Payroll Department then generates a check according to the payroll schedule. Teachers will be “reimbursed at not less than the lowest rate for comparable course offering(s) at an area college or university” (RCSD-RTA Contract, Section 49.3.e). 

Any amount received over $5250 in a calendar year (January-December) will be taxed.

Email Wendy Underhill at CIT@rcsdk12.org or call 585-262-8518 with questions.