✉ Email Velina.Onate-Nelson@k12.sd.us
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Graduate Credit & Degree Advancements (GCDA) Guidelines
Before a salary advancement can occur, all courses and programs must be reviewed & approved by the GCDA Pre-Approval Committee.
GCDA Coursework Pre-Approval Forms Deadline* | Committee Review Start Dates** |
|---|---|
Friday, September 1, 2023 | Wednesday, September 6, 2023 |
Friday, September 29, 2023 | Wednesday, October 4, 2023 |
Friday, October 27, 2023 | Wednesday, November 1, 2023 |
Friday, December 1, 2023 | Wednesday, December 6, 2023 |
Wednesday, January 3, 2024 | Friday, January 5, 2024 |
Friday, February 2, 2024 | Wednesday, February 7, 2024 |
Friday, March 1, 2024 | Wednesday, March 6, 2024 |
Wednesday, April 3, 2024 | Friday, April 5, 2024 |
Friday, May 3, 2024 | Wednesday, May 8, 2024 |
*Submit GCDA Pre-Approval Forms with required documentation to Staff Development, prior to Noon on the “Forms Deadline” date stated.
**Reviews take approximately one-two weeks to complete. When completed, you will receive an email regarding the committee’s decision.
Please note that “Pre-approval” does not mean pre-approval for you to take the course. It means “pre-approval” to use the course toward your salary advancement.
Approval Process
Individual Classes
The course must be graduate level, transcripted, and from an accredited college/university.
The course must be reviewed & approved by the GCDA Committee (through Staff Development), BEFORE a Salary Advancement can occur.
The course can be reviewed before, during, or after you attend it.
If you need a class reviewed, see the Checklist/Reference Guide.
Programs
The employee must be enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree in your major subject area or which provides additional certification or endorsement.
All programs must be graduate level & transcripted from an accredited college/university and approved by the GCDA Committee.
All programs must be reviewed & approved by the GCDA Committee (through Staff Development), BEFORE a Salary Advancement can occur.
The employee must complete all required coursework for the program. If there are any changes to the approved courses/programs, the employee must submit changes to the GCDA committee for a new review.
The program can be reviewed before, during, or after you attend it.
If you need a class reviewed, see the Checklist/Reference Guide.
Please Note
Failure to meet deadlines will result in ineligibility to advance on the salary schedule.
No transcripts, certificates of completion, class summaries, etc. are acceptable in lieu of the required documentation listed for the section you want reviewed by the committee.
Scan & send documents as attachments. No pictures from phones are accepted. The documents must be clear and legible, so that the GCDA committee can easily read them.
No confirmation emails are sent. Request a read receipt through your Outlook account, if needed.
For Red Apple Workshop classes, you must complete a GCDA Coursework Pre-Approval Form for each workshop registration in addition to registering for the Red Apple Workshop class. Upon the Committee’s approval and your successful completion of the Red Apple Workshop class, it will be eligible to apply toward your Graduate Credit/Degree Advancement requirements.
Email the GCDA Coursework Pre-Approval Form & required documentation (as attachments) to StaffDev.sfsd@k12.sd.us
“The Committee’s decisions are final for the contract year and are non-grievable.” (2023-2028 Teacher Working Agreement, pg.16-18)
For any questions regarding the GCDA Coursework Pre-Approval Form for the GCDA Committee pre-approval process, please email Velina Onate-Nelson.
For any questions regarding advancement on the salary schedule, the GCDA Intent Form, or the GCDA Application, please contact Amira Lawrence.
Velina Onate-Nelson
Amira Lawrence
✆ (605) 367-4692
✉ Email Amira Lawrence
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