RGCGISD TEP

“Staff Development- based on the belief”

Rio Grande City Grulla I.S.D. recognizes the importance of staff development and its positive impact on student achievement and on the quality of instruction. All staff members must have opportunities to grow professionally. By providing our staff with a multitude of staff development sessions that are applicable to their respective areas of service, educators will benefit as they acquire and enhance their knowledge and skills to create higher levels of learning for all students.  

COMMITTED TO THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION  

Guidelines for Time Equivalency Program (TEP)  

The Time Equivalency Program (TEP) is designed to allow individual staff members to attend 18  hours of approved professional learning outside the contract or workday to receive time equivalency credit for TEP days. Three days will be designated as TEP in-service days. The district and campus will not offer nor provide professional development on those days.  

Time Equivalency allows staff the opportunity to be self-learners. Through Time Equivalency,  staff members attend three 6-hour days of professional development. Employees accumulate those hours outside of the regular workday (i.e., evenings, weekends, and summer), and substitute the hours designated for Time Equivalency days.  

TEP Guidelines:  

1. Documentation for accumulation of time equivalency shall be maintained by individual staff members, campus principal and Central Office; however, it is each individual’s responsibility to turn in certificates for documentation to their administrators.  

2. The time allocated for the accumulation of TEP credits begins  May 27, 2024, and ends December 6, 2024. At the end of the day on December 6, 2024, personnel who have not completed three days of TEP Staff development training between the above dates will forfeit wages at the daily rate of pay. Failure to submit documentation in a timely manner  will result in forfeited wages.  

3. Employees hired on or after August 2024 and before the last TEP Day, will have until  January 31, 2025, to complete their TEP requirements. 

4. The principal or department supervisor must approve each staff member’s participation in  an activity for TEP credit prior to the activity. TEP hours may be forfeited if no prior  approval was obtained.  

5. One 6-hour day of training provides one day of TEP credit. If a day session is more than  6 hours long, only 1 day of TEP credit will be awarded. No additional credit will be given  for more than 2 days of training earned.

6. A person attending a session for TEP credit must complete the entire training regardless of  how many hours the person needs for TEP time. For instance, if a person needs 2 hours of  TEP time and registers for a 6-hour session, the person cannot stay only 2 hours and receive  credit. The individual must attend the whole session and use 2 of the 6 hours for TEP time.  

7. New employees whose employment begins after the LAST TEP day, are not required to  fulfill TEP requirements for the current school year.  

8. All non-exempt employees of the security and maintenance departments are not required  to fulfill TEP requirements due to the 40-hour workweek time constraint.  

9. Auxiliary food service workers and food service cashiers are not required to fulfill TEP  requirements.   

10. The campus/district will provide training related to employee’s responsibilities and to improving the employee’s job skills.  

11. Staff development which will provide credit for Time Equivalency:  

• It should lead to improving student achievement or to improving the employee’s job skills.  

• The content of the training must meet the needs specified in both individual campus plans and the district improvement plan.  

• The content of the training should support TEA’s Texas Essential Knowledge and  Skills (TEKS) and/or specific to the Rio Grande City Grulla ISD Curriculum.  

• State Regional Service Center Workshops  

• Conferences, seminars, or institutes directly related to the classroom teaching assignment or department.  

• Courses that are directly related to classroom teaching assignments for improving student achievement, or related to the employee’s job responsibilities to the improving the employee’s job skills.  

  • Offering through the District Curriculum & Instruction Department 

  • Courses approved by the campus administrator/department supervisor, and the  Asst. Supt. for Curriculum & Instruction  

12. Examples of unallowable activities that are NOT eligible for Time Equivalency credit  include:  

• Professional learning sessions attended during the contract days or personal days, 

• After-hour general procedural meetings (i.e., faculty meetings, department meetings)  

• Committee work  

• Professional learning face to face/online sessions for which a stipend is received  

UIL or athletic related professional learning for which a stipend or supplemental pay is received, and for after school responsibilities.  

13. Eligibility for Time Equivalency credit hours submitted by an employee for courses not  offered by the District shall be determined on a case by case basis by the campus administrator/department supervisor and the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum &  Instruction as specified in accordance with Section 6. Employees should seek prior approval with the campus administrator/department supervisor and the Assistant  Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction before attending such courses to ensure hours are TEP eligible.  

Note: TEP hours will be forfeited if TEP Guidelines are not followed.