"Pre-approval" does not grant permission to take the course. It only confirms that the course is eligible for salary advancement.
Graduate Credit & Degree Advancements (GCDA) Guidelines
To maintain the integrity of our profession, all courses approved for lane advancement must meet the Sioux Falls School District high standards of rigor and relevance—ensuring courses challenge educators intellectually and directly enhance instructional practice.
Pending approval by the GCDA Committee in September 2025, to align with the SD DOE standards, courses/programs being reviewed must have been completed within the past ten years.
Before a salary advancement can be approved, all courses and programs must be reviewed and approved by the GCDA Pre-Approval Committee.
Email your GCDA coursework pre-approval forms and required documentation to the Staff Development Department:
Forms Deadline Due by Noon on: * | Committee Review Start Dates: ** |
|---|---|
Friday, August 29, 2025 | Friday, September 5, 2025 |
Friday, September 26, 2025 | Friday, October 3, 2025 |
Friday, October 31, 2025 | Wednesday, November 5, 2025 |
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 | Thursday, December 4, 2025 |
Monday, January 5, 2026 | Friday, January 9, 2026 |
Friday, January 30, 2026 | Friday, February 6, 2026 |
Friday, February 27, 2026 | Friday, March 6, 2026 |
Thursday, April 2, 2026 | Thursday, April 9, 2026 |
Friday, May 1, 2026 | Friday, May 8, 2026 |
Friday, September 11, 2026 | Friday, September 18, 2026 |
*Submit GCDA Pre-Approval Forms with required documentation to Staff Development, prior to Noon on the “Forms Deadline” date stated above. Email all required documentation to StaffDev.sfsd@k12.sd.us by the monthly deadline.
**Reviews take approximately one-three weeks to complete. When completed, you will receive an email regarding the committee’s decision. This email will be sent to your state email address.
Please note:
Approval Process
GCDA Coursework Pre-Approval Form
(This form is provided as a PDF to ensure clarity and consistency in submissions.)
Individual Classes
The course must be graduate level, transcripted, and from an accredited college or university within the last ten years.
The course must be reviewed and approved by the GCDA Committee (through Staff Development) before salary advancement can occur.
The course may be reviewed before, during, or after completion.
If you need a class reviewed, refer to the Checklist/Reference Guide.
Degree Programs
Employees must be enrolled in a graduate-level, accredited program that leads to a degree in their major subject area or provides additional certification or endorsement.
All programs must be reviewed and approved by the GCDA Committee (through Staff Development) before salary advancement can occur.
Employees must complete all required coursework for the program. Any changes to approved courses or programs must be resubmitted for a new review.
Programs may be reviewed before, during, or after completion.
If you need a class reviewed, refer to the Checklist/Reference Guide.
Important Reminders for Employees
Missed deadlines will result in ineligibility for salary advancement.
Transcripts, certificates of completion, or class summaries are not accepted in place of the required documentation.
All documents must be scanned and sent as attachments.
Phone photos of documents will not be accepted.
Documents must be clear and legible for the GCDA Committee’s review.
Confirmation emails are not sent. If needed, request a read receipt through your Outlook account.
Red Apple Workshop Courses
Employees must submit a GCDA Coursework Pre-Approval Form for each Red Apple Workshop course in addition to registering for the workshop.
Upon committee approval and successful completion of the Red Apple Workshop course, it may count toward Graduate Credit/Degree Advancement requirements.
It is recommended that employees print the course description from the Red Apple Workshop website for their GCDA documentation.
Course descriptions for past Red Apple Workshop classes (from the last 10 years only) are available on the Red Apple Workshop website.
Submission Instructions
Email the GCDA Coursework Pre-Approval Form and required documentation (as attachments) to Staff Development.
Final Notes
The Committee’s decisions are final for the contract year and are non-grievable.
2023-2028 Teacher Working Agreement, p. 16-18
GCDA Coursework Pre-Approval Form and committee review process questions, contact Velina Onate-Nelson.
Velina Onate-Nelson
✉ Email Velina Onate-Nelson
➢ Staff Development
Salary advancement, the GCDA Intent Form, or the GCDA Application questions, contact Amira Lawrence.
Amira Lawrence
✆ (605) 367-4692
✉ Email Amira Lawrence
➢ Human Resources