HR Policy 8.14

Sabbatical leaves of absence may be granted to members of the teaching staff, subject to the approval of the Sabbatical Leave Committee.

Eligibility and Qualifications

Any teacher employed by the Madison Public Schools who meets the qualifications shall be eligible to apply for sabbatical leave subject to the following conditions and requirements:

1. Applicant must hold a Life or Permanent certificate of teaching.

2. Applicant must have five (5) consecutive years of satisfactory service as a full-time employee, under contract, to the Madison Public Schools.

3. Subsequent sabbatical leaves may be authorized after eligibility has been re-established by service of an additional five (5) consecutive years of satisfactory service as a full-time employee under contract to the Madison Public Schools.

4. The number of sabbatical leaves granted each year will be determined by the amount of funds established by the Board of Education for sabbatical leaves.

5. A sabbatical leave shall be granted for not less than one (1) full semester nor for more than two (2) full consecutive full semesters. The leave must coincide with the regular school year -- fall/spring -- in this order only.

6. The applicant, if granted a sabbatical leave, shall sign an agreement to return to service with the Madison Public Schools immediately upon termination of sabbatical leave and to continue in such service for a period of two (2) years (unless causes beyond his/her control prevent) or to refund any compensation received from the Board of Education while on leave except as the Board shall, by special action, waive such obligations.

Purposes of Sabbatical Leave

1. Sabbatical leave is granted to teachers to permit them to improve their ability to render educational service. Such improvement is usually achieved by formal study and research. Applications for sabbatical leave will be considered on their merits and justification for the request.

2. The following information shall be presented in the application as evidence of the employee's plan to fulfill the purposes of the leave:

a. For Formal Study - A program of work should be outlined which requires a minimum of nine (9) academic credits per semester and will qualify the applicant for greater competence in his/her major field or a program of course work leading to an advanced degree in his/her area of teaching.

b. For Research - The proposed project shall be outlined and received by the Sabbatical Leave Committee as the project relates to the present or prospective educational service of the applicant in his/her profession.

Application Requirements and Procedures

Applications for sabbatical leave must be filed on prescribed forms with the Sabbatical Leave Committee. The due date of such forms shall be February 1 for leaves beginning the first semester of any subsequent school year and September 1 for leaves beginning the second semester. Applicants shall be given notice of acceptance or rejection of their requests within 30 days following the due date for filing the application.

Requirements and Status While on Sabbatical Leave

Financial Policies

1. The compensation for teachers on sabbatical leave shall be fifty percent (50%) of the contract salary for applicants on leave for two semesters and one hundred percent (100%) of the contract salary for applicants on leave for one semester.

Extra duty compensation of any kind shall not be included in the consideration of payment for sabbatical leaves. If a recipient of a sabbatical leave receives income from employment or from scholarship, aid or emolument funds from other sources during the time s/he is on sabbatical leave, the Board of Education shall reduce the sabbatical leave payments otherwise payable by an amount equal to such income to the extent that such income, when added to the sabbatical leave payments, exceeds the salary which the recipient would have received if s/he had signed an individual teacher's contract for full-time employment.

2. Payment of salary to a teacher on sabbatical leave shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the Board of Education for payment of salary to any other member of the teaching staff. The employee on leave shall be responsible for keeping the Division of Business Services Office notified of his/her address to ensure proper handling of payments.

3. Employees on sabbatical leave shall be eligible for the normal service increment for the period of time on leave. Salary schedule changes which may occur during the employee's leave shall be reflected in his/her subsequent contract.

4. All current fringe benefits shall be granted to teachers on sabbatical leave. Sick leave is earned as though s/he were working.

5. Retirement, life insurance, health and accident deductions as well as any other deductions normally related to the employee shall be withheld from the monthly payments due him/her during his/her sabbatical leave.

6. Earnings paid during a sabbatical leave are reportable for WRS purposes. Hours of service credited are to be prorated based on the ratio of pay during the leave; therefore, a teacher on a full year's sabbatical will receive only half as much service for the year as a teacher who was working.

7. While on sabbatical leave, an employee shall not hold the Madison Board of Education liable for illness or accident except as provided for in its insurance program.

Reports Required While on Sabbatical Leave

An employee on sabbatical leave shall report to the Sabbatical Leave Committee as follows:

1. An interim report shall be filed at the mid-point of the period for which the leave is taken (end of 9 weeks for a semester's leave, end of first semester for a year's leave). This interim report shall contain sufficient information to enable the Sabbatical Leave Committee to determine that the leave is being utilized in the approved manner for which the leave was granted.

2. A final report shall be filed with the Committee in care of the Department of Human Resources (545 W. Dayton Street, Madison, WI 53703) including the names of the institutions attended, courses pursued, credits received (support with official transcript), experience gained, together with the applicant's appraisal of the professional value of the activities while on leave and the manner in which the knowledge and experience gained may be applied to the benefit of the school district.

3. The Sabbatical Leave Committee may require that the employee shall promptly furnish such additional reports as the Committee deems necessary or reasonable to determine that the employee is fulfilling the agreement and all the requirements of the leave. In the event that the Committee shall find that the employee is not fulfilling the agreement or is dilatory in any respect, the entire sum paid to the employee by the Board of Education shall become due and all future payments, if any, shall cease. When the employee does not fulfill the leave agreement or when the employee does complete the planned program of the leave, but does not return to service with the Madison Public Schools, s/he shall within two years of the terminal date of his/her leave reimburse the Board of Education in the amount of money granted to him/her during the sabbatical leave.

Requirements and Status Upon Returning from Sabbatical Leave

1. At the expiration of a sabbatical leave, the employee shall be restored to his/her position or to a position of like nature, status and pay provided that the employee remains eligible for reinstatement under other rules and regulations of the Board of Education.

2. If the employee does not remain in the employ of the Madison Public Schools for two years immediately following a sabbatical leave, s/he shall reimburse the Board of Education in the amount of money granted to him/her while on leave and in the manner described in item 3 above. This rule does not apply in cases wherein the employee becomes incapacitated to work as verified in writing by a physician or in cases wherein the rule is waived by the Board of Education.

October 1992