Administrative Regulation

AR 4361.3

Management, Supervisory and Confidential Personnel

Professional Leave

Sabbatical

A sabbatical leave may be granted to employees in positions requiring certification by the Board of Education for study, including study in another area of specialization, for travel, or for other reasons of value to the school system, subject to the following conditions:

1. In case of travel, a written report shall be required to be submitted at the end of the sabbatical period.

2. Requests for sabbatical leave must be received by the Superintendent or designee, in writing, in such form as may be mutually agreed on by the employees' organization and the Superintendent or designee, not later than February 15, and action must be taken on all such requests no later than April 15, of the school year preceding the school year for which the sabbatical leave is requested.

3. Not more than one such leave of absence shall be granted in each seven year period. (Education Codes 44966, 44967)

4. Should the time ever occur when there are more requests for sabbatical leave than can be met financially by the district, the requests shall be honored in order of seniority of service.

5. Absence from the service of the district for a period of not more than one year under a leave of absence, without pay, granted by the Board of the district of service under a nationally recognized fellowship or foundation approved by the State Board of Education for research, teaching, or lecturing shall not be deemed a break in the continuity of service required by this regulation and shall be included as a year of service in computing the seven consecutive years of service required by this regulation. (Education Code 44967)

6. At the expiration of the leave of absence of the employee, the employee shall, unless he/she otherwise agrees, be reinstated in the position held by the employee at the time of the granting of the leave of absence. (Education Codes 44969, 44973)

7. The Board shall be freed from any liability for the payment of any compensation or damages provided by law for the death or injury of any employee of the district employed in a position requiring certification qualifications when the death or injury occurs while the employee is on any leave of absence granted under the provisions of Education Codes 44962-44976, inclusive.

8. Upon return from sabbatical leave, an employee shall be placed on the salary schedule at the level which the employee would have achieved had the employee remained actively employed in the system during the period of absence.

9. Sabbatical leave must be preceded by at least seven consecutive years of service, all of which have been served as a regular full-time employee in the school district. Service of at least 75% of the teaching days in each year count as a full school year. Any year in which the applicant has served some days, but failed to serve 75% of the days shall not be counted as an interruption in the seven consecutive year period. Sabbatical leaves beginning within four years of the applicant's compulsory retirement date shall not be approved.

10. The number of certificated employees absent on sabbatical leave at any one time shall not exceed two percent of the total number of certificated employees.

11. Any sabbatical leave granted will be for no more than a total of one year. Sabbatical leaves shall coincide with the school year, unless otherwise approved by the Superintendent or designee. Sabbatical leave may be granted for semesters or quarters as long as the total leave is begun and finished during a three year period. (Education Code 44966)

12. Compensation while on sabbatical leave shall be in accordance with the provisions of the school district salary schedule in effect during the period of the leave. (Education Codes 44968, 44969)

13. Applicants who desire to receive salary allowance while on sabbatical leave must furnish a suitable bond indemnifying the school district for any salary paid the employee during the period of the sabbatical leave in the event the employee fails to return to render two full years of service to the district following the termination of the sabbatical leave; or, in the event the employee fails satisfactorily to carry out the program of study or the itinerary of the trip approved. In the event the employee is unable to render the two years of service due to death or physical or mental disability, this provision shall be waived. (Education Code 44969)

14. Applicants who do not desire to furnish a bond and receive salary while on sabbatical leave shall be paid in accordance with the business department's procedure of two equal annual installments as follows: (Education Code 44969)

a. At the end of the first year of service after the teacher's return to duty, the business department shall release the first installment upon receipt of a Board resolution authorizing the payment of said installment and including an affirmative statement to the effect that the teacher has completed one year of service and fulfilled all other legal requirements.

b. At the end of the second year of service, a similar procedure shall be followed authorizing payment of the second and final installment.

15. Applicants may agree in writing not to receive compensation from the school district during the period of the leave. (Education Code 44968.5)

Regulation PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

approved: February 8, 2001 Palos Verdes Estates, California