Travel and Reimbursement for Professional
Development Information from the NJ Department of Education
Improved Definition of "Regular School District Business Travel"
The final regulations permit boards to adopt policies which allow for
regular business travel without prior board approval. Regular business
travel now includes in-state professional development programs that cost
$150 or less per person per program. The regulations also provide that
the $150 amount may be adjusted in future years for inflation. See
N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-1.2.
No More Cap on Number of Attendees for In-State Professional
Development
The final regulations eliminate the cap on the number of persons
permitted to attend in-state professional development programs without
first receiving prior written approval from the executive county
superintendent. See N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-5.9(c). For out-of-state events, the
regulation now provides for attendance of no more than five persons
without prior written approval of the executive county superintendent.
Reasonable Meal Expenses May be Reimbursed
The regulations now provide for "full" reasonable reimbursement for
out-of-district one day training sessions which include lunch in the
lump-sum registration fee. This should alleviate concerns regarding
professional development which include reasonable meal costs in the
registration fee. The regulations now also permit reimbursement for the
cost of an official luncheon or dinner, up to $7 and $10, respectively,
where the meal is scheduled as an integral part of an official
proceeding or program related to school district business and the
employee's responsibilities.
