Process for Horizontal Advancement

Salary Scale Advancement

There are two opportunities for horizontal advancement on our salary scale. 

1. Graduate-level courses. The model is based on semester hours; quarter hours are converted to semester hours at the rate of 2/3 credit for each hour earned. This option does not require approval.

2. Additional classes and opportunities may be accepted for movement on the salary schedule but require approval. For activities that need approval, please submit a request on PowerSchool.

• The following activities are automatically approved at this time. You will receive credit for these through PowerSchool (with the exception of a student teacher and CBOCES PD—please submit an external credit request to get them added to your PowerSchool transcript).   

• Conferences attended

• ELOs

• Induction

• Mentoring 

• PLCs

• PLC Leader

• K-12 Leadership

• Job Embedded PD

• Curriculum/Assessment based training

• Student teacher (2 credit hours) - Submit through External Credit Request

• CBOCES PD classes - Submit through External Credit Request

After gaining approval for the activity, you will need to have the activity facilitator sign off on the hours you completed or have them present you with a certificate indicating the number of hours you completed during the activity. 

**Activities that will need pre-approval should be generally similar to the accepted renewal activities recognized by CDE for re-licensure. 

You do not need to submit anything to the business office until you are ready for horizontal movement. You can find the requirements for that here. 

Until you reach 30 credits, it takes 10 credit hours for one column of horizontal movement. After 30 credits, it takes 15 credit hours per column of horizontal movement (7.5 clock hours of approved professional development = 0.5 credit or 15 clock hours/1 credit hour). 

Once the required coursework or professional development is approved and on your PowerSchool transcript, you can submit a new Salary Scale Advancement Request Form in PowerSchool under the "External Credit Request" tab. To access PowerSchool Professional Learning, click here.  

When Can I Submit a Salary Scale Advancement Request Form?

Window #1 - Submitted by August 15th

Each year, employees are asked to submit information regarding their column movement for the upcoming year by completing the application for growth credit/column movement. This information must be submitted by the deadline to be included in the budget and for the contract amount to be adjusted. Adjustments will take place with the first payroll in August, provided all documentation (official transcripts/CDE certificate) has been submitted by August 15.

 Window #2  - Submitted by January 15th

Employees who have met all requirements for horizontal advancement, except adequate credits to achieve horizontal advancement by August 15, will have an opportunity to advance for half of the contract year by completing the application for growth credit/column movement. 

In order to qualify, activities must be completed by January 1. 

Adjustments will take place with the February payroll provided all documentation (official transcripts, certificate, timesheets) has been submitted by January 15.

Payment for half-year horizontal advancement will be made from February through August.