FCPS retroactively denying pay raises
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Anonymous
They don't contribute to a graduate degree though. If you went for a degree after the master's they wouldn't accept them as credits. (Also I'm curious how you know that everyone else got A's? Do you know all the people in an asynchronous course with you?) |
Anonymous
Correct they don't contribute to a graduate degree. They're non degree graduate credit though. I took the courses with several co-workers. We all used those credits towards are MA+30. Just like these Idaho State courses. |
Anonymous
How much did you pay per course? |
Anonymous
For the UVA course I believe it was $750 for a three credit course. The other two courses were free, they were special classes that were paid for by a grant by the VDOE. I also took several classes through the FCPS North Tier program. You get credit through Colorado State University. They were $150 for two grad credits. The Colorado State actually had a professor and feedback though (though it was limited to a weekly discussion board). but once again FCPS and VDOE regulations don't say anything about price. It just has to be graduate credit from a regionally accredited university, which Idaho State is. |
Anonymous
By the other two course, I am referring to the courses I took through the University of Delaware, and the College of William and Mary. They were free through the Virginia Department of Education. Neither course had a professor, feedback or recorded lessons. It was just some reading and sending in short responses. |
Anonymous
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Continuing education credits are very different than full graduate courses that contribute to a degree--both in what they entail and what they add to your salary. CEUs are basically just an ongoing requirement. Always seek approval for the course BEFORE you take it though, esp. if you're paying anything. Was the course approved before you took it in January?
Also, when they say regionally accredited I always assumed they meant regionally accredited in the region we are in. Not regionally accredited anywhere. |
Anonymous
Several teachers did seek approval beforehand. They were told it was approved. This teacher has been doing a good job explaining it and providing details. https://twitter.com/CoachVerloop/status/1524758973580296196?s=20&t=uDn7nmGIIUOTFv33i7ipLQ It is referring to regionally accredited anywhere. VDOE recognizes any graduate credit from the 6 regional accreditation organizations inside the US. That is why my credits from Colorado State and University of Delaware were accepted. Those universities are both accredited from one of the 6 regional accreditation organizations. There is a thing known as non-degree graduate credit. That is what teachers take to achieve their pay increases. |
Anonymous
That tweet is showing a teacher sought approval and even included the transcript key. They were approved. They applied for a salary increase and received it, than two months later they were told they no longer get the salary increase. |
Anonymous
I believe you, but that's nuts. And it doesn't seem to be what the posted regulations refer to. Maybe someone finally realized that professional development non-degree classes shouldn't be counted. |
Anonymous
| A non-degree graduate credit is completely nonsensical as a concept. |
Anonymous
Taking graduate courses for non-degree credit is fine--sometimes you don't want to enroll in a full degree but want a course. These are courses that have been approved to contribute to a certified, accredited degree program. Or even graduate courses that contribute to a certification. The issue I think is that the continuing education credits are in a fluffy, gray area--these are things that none of these institutions are offering as a course in their degree programs, they aren't a part of any accredited program. They are "extras". They may be useful, up-to-date information and professional development that is helpful for teachers (or not). It is important that teachers do continuing education because research on learning changes, laws and policies they are required to follow change , teachers may have always been a biology teacher and now they need to add physics which they haven't taken in 20 years, or they are shifting from elementary to high school and need some brushing up etc. CEUs always varied in quality. But in the pandemic there was an explosion of online courses some universities who have relationships with private ed tech companies that want to siphon off "content" into fluff professional development courses. Any licensed field that requires CEUs is encountering an explosion of questionable CEUs. So I think it is good that FCPS review the criteria for what really counts as a CEU and make it more stringent That said, if the particular course was approved before taking it and then was not upheld, that is unfair. |
Anonymous
Actually the tweet does NOT show that. Read the email posted in tweet #3. It says that the teacher submitted the request for a salary increase in early April. Anything submitted and approved in April would be reflected in the May paycheck which we have not received. It was not approved. It says that the teacher’s salary would remain the same. I don’t see anything that shows that the teacher was approved for an increase and received something in March. Yes, credits from this university will be accepted. What’s at issue is the amount. The teacher is saying the amount submitted should be counted as 30. FCPS is saying they count for half of that. |
Anonymous
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Well it looks like FCPS backtracked.
The HR Team is continuing to investigate whether the ISU-College of Education’s Professional Development Academic Transcript is recognized as an official transcript by the ISU Provost and the ISU Office of the Registrar, which are requirements of our regulation and aligns with guidance previously provided to staff. Because you enrolled in these courses with the belief you would receive full credit, Dr. Brabrand has directed the HR Team to honor those credits in full for all employees enrolled in the ISU- College of Education’s Professional Development programs as of May 13. As a result, your previously submitted additional salary request remains apporved and there will be no change to your current salary. We are not accepting any new requests from ISU until we complete our investigation. An update will be provided once we complete our review and investigation. |
Anonymous
That seems like a reasonable response. Honor the already submitted requests. Shut down any future requests using these sham courses. I can live with that. |
Anonymous
ISU just needs to charge $250 a credit like UVA than nobody would even glance at their transcripts. |