Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program (Also Known as Teacher Lead) Procedures

Transcription

1 Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program (Also Known as Teacher Lead) Procedures New for 2018 Volusia County Schools is excited to announce that we are partnering with Office Depot to bring you a new and easy-to-use way to purchase your supplies using your Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program money. The Office Depot Program offers tax free purchases from July 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018; free delivery to your school; deeply discounted pricing; no need to keep receipts (receipts are captured electronically by Office Depot); and convenient, easy online ordering. Utilizing this program does not guarantee your eligibility for the stipend. Eligibility will be determined by the end of September using the criteria stated in Florida Statute Since the amount that each eligible teacher will receive has not yet been determined, we are establishing a spending threshold of $300 to allow for summer purchases. Purchases in EXCESS of the final determined amount will NOT be reimbursed. The final amount will be determined by the end of September. If you choose to utilize the Office Depot program, you will need to make ALL purchases from Office Depot. The decision to Opt In/Out of this program will be required when you complete the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Agreement on the district s eportal website. Basically, this program allows teachers to purchase tax-free, discounted, classroom supplies up to $300 and receive a stipend (amount to be determined) at the end of September (requires completing the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program agreement). Allows for an additional month of purchasing (March 1 st -31 st ). Teachers choosing to Opt Out of the Office Depot program will be required to submit receipts to the school s designee by March 1, 2018, to allow processing time for the designee. All supplies must be delivered to the school. When placing orders during the summer, schedule the delivery date for August, when you will be at school to receive the shipment. This will help alleviate any confusion. An account will be established for your Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program (separate from your school s regular account). The account number will be established and provided to you once you have consented. All purchases must be made by March 31, Any unspent funds (difference between the stipend received and the receipts attached to your Office Depot account) will be collected, via payroll deduction. Page 1 of 6

2 Eligibility Pursuant to Section , Florida Statutes, a classroom teacher means a certified teacher employed by a public school district or a public charter school in that district on or before September 1 of each year whose full-time or job-share responsibility is the classroom instruction of students in prekindergarten through grade 12, including full-time media specialists and certified school counselors serving students in prekindergarten through grade 12, who are funded through the Florida Education Finance Program. Principals For teachers that Opted Out of the Office Depot program, designate a school employee to collect Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures forms and receipts for ALL eligible expenditures. The designee will report any questionable purchases. Contact the teacher for more information to determine if the purchase is eligible. Notify teachers that, if they Opted Out of the Office Depot program, failure to provide the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form and receipts for ALL eligible expenditures by the deadline that it will result in the collection, via payroll deduction, of the amount that was paid but not supported by receipts. Supply supporting documentation of this notification to the designee. A list of teachers that Opted Out of the Office Depot Program will be provided to your designee. By February 16, 2018, contact each teacher on the list that have not submitted any receipts or whose total submitted receipts are less than the full amount of their allocation. The list should include the teacher s name and the amount of the allocation not supported by receipts. Remind these teachers that the amount not substantiated by receipts by March 1, 2018 will be collected, via payroll deduction. A list of teachers that Opted In to the Office Depot Program that have not spent the full amount of the allocation will be provided to your designee. By February 16, 2018, contact each teacher on the list and remind them that the amount not spent by March 31, 2018 will be collected, via payroll deduction. Teachers Section , Florida Statutes, requires that the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program agreement must be signed prior to receiving Teachers Lead funds. What are the terms you are consenting to on the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Agreement? o You acknowledge that Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program funds are appropriated by the Legislature for the sole purpose of purchasing classroom materials and supplies to be used in the instruction of students assigned to you. o In accepting custody of these funds, you agree to either Opt In to the Office Depot Program and make ALL purchases from their website or Opt Out of the Office Depot Program and submit legible copies of receipts for all eligible expenditures to your school s designee by March 1, o Page 2 of 6

3 o If you Opt In to the Office Depot Program, you understand that purchases must be made by March 31, Any unspent funds (difference between the stipend received and the receipts attached to your Office Depot account) will be collected, via payroll deduction. These funds will be allocated to the school advisory council account of the school at which you were employed when you received the funds. o If you Opt Out of the Office Depot Program, you understand that if you do not submit legible copies of the receipts for all eligible expenditures, funds will be collected via payroll deduction for any unsubstantiated receipts. These funds will be allocated to the school advisory council account of the school at which you were employed when you received the funds. o You are authorizing the District to process a payroll deduction for any amount that is not substantiated by a receipt or an expenditure from your Office Depot account. The 2018 Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Agreement is accessible through our district's eportal website. o If you have not already done so, please sign on to your eportal account and click on the "Payroll" tab on the top menu then click on the "Teacher Lead" button on the left hand menu to access the agreement. o The agreement process must be completed by September 22, 2017 in order for Payroll to facilitate the payment of the Teachers Lead stipend by the September 30th pay date. Eligible employees who complete the agreement process between September 23 and December 1 will be paid on a later pay date. o Please note that consenting to the terms of the Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance agreement does not guarantee your eligibility for the Teachers Lead stipend. o Once you have completed the agreement process on the eportal, you cannot revoke your consent. o You are required to consent to this agreement each school year, even if you have consented in previous years. Eligibility for the Teacher Lead stipend will be determined by the criteria stated in the statute. The amount that each eligible teacher will receive has not yet been determined. A proportionate amount will be calculated for each eligible teacher, which is that teacher's share of the total amount allocated to the district. Funds will be distributed in the September 30, 2017 paycheck for those that completed the agreement by September 22, o Eligible employees who complete the agreement process between September 23 and December 1 will be paid on a later pay date. o The deadline to complete the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Agreement via the eportal is 11:59 P.M. on December 1, o The allocation will be listed on your pay stub under Other. The detail can be viewed under the Invoice Detail section of the pay stub tab on eportal. If a teacher is on leave of absence, but will be returning to the classroom during the school year, the teacher is eligible for the funds. For teachers that Opt In to the Office Depot Program: o All purchases must be made by March 31, o Any unspent funds (difference between the stipend that was paid to you and the receipts attached to your Office Depot account) will be collected, via payroll deduction. o Funds spent in EXCESS of the stipend that was paid to you will NOT be reimbursed. Page 3 of 6

4 o Funds collected via payroll deduction for unsubstantiated receipts will be allocated to the school advisory council account of the school at which the classroom teacher was employed when that teacher received the funds. For teachers that Opt Out of the Office Depot Program: o A Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form must be obtained from the District s Finance website. A link to this website is provided in the eportal. Save this form on your computer for future use. o Since the form automatically calculates the total, the form should not be hand-written. o Once you have receipts substantiating the total amount received in Florida Teacher Classroom Supply Assistance Program funds, do the following: Complete the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures and print the form. Sign and date the form, acknowledging that the funds were spent for the sole purpose of purchasing classroom material and supplies to be used in the instruction of students assigned to you. Also, you understand that the portion of the amount that was paid to you, but not supported by receipts, will be collected via payroll deduction. Attach legible copies of all receipts, highlighting the applicable charge(s) on receipts that include charges that do not pertain to the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program. Retain a copy of the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form as well as the original receipts for your records. Submit all documentation to the school s designee by March 1, o Do not submit receipts or the form for individual purchases. Please compile the receipts for ALL eligible expenditures and submit ONE (1) form to the school s designee by March 1, o Receipts must be dated between July 1, 2017 and March 1, o Failure to provide the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form and receipts for ALL eligible expenditures by the deadline will result in the collection, via payroll deduction, of the amount that was paid but not supported by receipts. o The portion of the amount that was paid to you, but not supported by receipts, will be collected via payroll deduction. o Funds spent in EXCESS of the amount paid to the employee will NOT be reimbursed. o Funds collected via payroll deduction for unsubstantiated receipts will be allocated to the school advisory council account of the school at which the classroom teacher was employed when that teacher received the funds. Suggested Purchases: Arts & crafts materials Charts, maps, globes, posters DVD/CD disks for students use Flash cards Game balls & supplies for PE Inexpensive musical instruments Ink and toner for printers Math manipulatives Paper, books, etc. Pencils, pens, markers, etc. Protective smocks, aprons Software subscriptions (temporary access to site) Page 4 of 6

5 Purchases NOT Allowable: Clothing Electronics Equipment (item cost over $100) Food, unless it is included in the lesson plan or class curriculum Personal items Printers Services Software licenses (considered equipment) School Designees: School designees will act as the custodian of receipts ONLY FOR THE TEACHERS THAT OPTED OUT OF THE OFFICE DEPOT PROGRAM and notify Payroll of the amount per teacher unsubstantiated by receipts. A spreadsheet will be available for download after December 1, 2017 on the Reports and Downloads website listing all teachers at your school having received Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program funds and opted out of the Office Depot Program. Detailed instructions on how to retrieve the listing for your school will be set out in December. It is due in Payroll by March 31, Obtain documentation from your principal to support notification to the appropriate teachers that failure to provide the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form and receipts for ALL eligible expenditures by the deadline will result in the collection, via payroll deduction, of the amount that was paid but not supported by receipts. Prior to the deadline, verify that every teacher listed on the spreadsheet has submitted a Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form and legible copies of receipts for ALL eligible expenditures. Compile a list of every teacher on the list that has NOT submitted a Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form and legible copies of receipts for ALL eligible expenditures. The list should include the teacher s name and the amount of the allocation not supported by receipts. Submit this list to your principal by February 15, Check receipts to ensure that purchases are for classroom materials and supplies. Notify your principal/director of any questionable purchases. Update the spreadsheet for teachers that submitted a Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form and legible copies of receipts. Enter the total amount substantiated by legible copies of receipts. the completed spreadsheet to Payroll by March 31, For teachers that have transferred FROM your school, notify the receiving school whether or not the teacher has submitted the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form and receipts for ALL eligible expenditures. If not, the teacher to send the form and receipts to you. For terminating teachers, collect the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program Documentation of Expenditures form and receipts for ALL eligible expenditures prior to termination. Immediately notify Payroll of the unsubstantiated amount so that Payroll will have enough time to collect the funds from the last paycheck. Page 5 of 6

6 For terminated teachers, receipts should have been turned in and Payroll notified of any unsubstantiated receipts. The amount on the report should reflect the total of substantiated receipts. If the teacher did not turn in any receipts, the amount will be zero. Enter a zero in the Amount Used field to agree. All teachers that have unsubstantiated amounts (partial or whole) as of March 1, 2018 should be notified via . They should be advised of the amount that was not substantiated by receipts, which will be collected, via payroll deduction. Enter the total amount substantiated by receipts, up to the amount of the allocation, in the Amount Used field for each teacher. If a teacher fails to turn in any receipts, enter a zero (0) in the Amount Used field. Be sure to save the spreadsheet as you make updates, using FIN1104 as the filename. the completed spreadsheet to Payroll by March 31, Use the filename (FIN1104) in the subject line of the . Receipts must be retained for five (5) years. Be prepared to forward the receipts to Finance for auditing (upon request). All procedures and documents are available on the Finance website (under the Teacher Lead tab). Page 6 of 6