TSP-CIF stands for Technical Support Professionals (TSP) Continuous Improvement Fund (CIF). TSP-CIF is funded annually and is designed to award funds to eligible TSP employees to offset the costs of Continuous Improvement Educational Activities (CIEA) such as Seminars, Workshops, Courses, and Technical and College Level coursework. The funds are a reimbursement, and only paid after the employee has successfully completed the CIEA.

TSP-CIF arose from a Memorandum of Understanding between the School Board of Broward County, Florida and Broward Teachers Union - Technical Support Professional (BTU-TSP). This provision enabled the creation of a fund that reimburses BTU-TSP employees for continuing education opportunities so that employees may acquire, maintain and improve their skills within their job family at no cost or at a reduced cost.

Continuous Improvement Educational Activities (CIEA) maximum of $2,500.

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

Continuous Improvement Educational Activities (CIEA) eligible for reimbursements include Seminars, Workshops, Courses, and Technical and College Level coursework. Books, supplies, student/athletic fees, license fees, exam fees, parking fees, travel, transportation, lodging, meals or late fees ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT.

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

The committee will consider funding membership fees to an organization only if the total cost of the CIEA including membership fees results in a net savings to the TSP-CIF program. Applicants would need to show documentation of savings to the TSP-CIF committee. 

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

Applicants must provide a brief but complete description of how the CIEA aligns to the current position or position within the job family showing a specific relationship. This information is used by the committee to determine approval of funding. If the committee is unable to determine the relationship based on the information provided, the committee will have no choice but to deny the request.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to make the connections between their job, their skills and the CIEA that is being requested for consideration.

• Courses must be from an accredited college/university in which the award recipient earned a passing grade and received college credit of letter grade of C or better.
• Courses must be within the realm of your profession or within a content area.
• Courses that issue a Certificate of Completion or Continuing Education Units (CEUs) without issuing college credit are also eligible for reimbursement.
• A program composed of multiple modules and/or courses will be considered eligible as long as the program completion date, modules and/or courses and requirements fall within the dates outlined in the TSP-CIF program. All modules/courses must be completed in their entirety, and the entire program must be finished to qualify for reimbursement. Partial completion/credit will not be accepted and will be viewed as non-completion of the program. 
• On-line coursework from subscription based websites must be clearly identified as to the course that will be taken and the expected completion date for the course (listing the site and access to all courseware will not be accepted)

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

• TSP employees with eight (8) or more years of service as of July 1^st of the program year with Broward County Public Schools are eligible to apply.

• Applicant must be reappointed and an active employee in good standing for the 2024-2025 school year.

• TSP employees must be on active status in order to qualify for TSP-CIF funds. Individuals on any type of leave are not eligible.

The application period for the 2024-2025 school year is Monday, September 30-Sunday, November 10, 2024.

Initial Applications are to be submitted using the link provided in the dedicated portal of the Non-Instructional Website.

• The TSP-CIF Committee. The TSP-CIF Committee is comprised of three (3) representatives from BTU-TSP and three (3) representatives from the Broward County Public Schools. The TSP-CIF Committee reserves the right to review and change the criteria for future eligibility.
• A rubric with clear and consistent guidelines has been created to help guide in evaluating applications. Each applicant must demonstrate how the CIEA aligns to his/her current position or position in their given job family.

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

Applicants will be reviewed in December 2024 and applicants will be notified of their application status following the committee’s decision. This may occur after the conclusion of your scheduled CIEA. Therefore, “out-of-pocket” expenses are to be anticipated, as this is a reimbursement fund and approval is not guaranteed.

Tuition reimbursement applies to activities between the period of June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025. You must submit your application for TSP-CIF within the application period for funding consideration by the committee. Applications received outside of the established application period will not be eligible or considered for funding or reimbursement. No guarantees are made of funding for any activity. 

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

Only one application per eligible TSP employee will be accepted. TSP Employees may request up to three (3) CIEAs to be considered by the committee, not to exceed a combined total of the maximum established amount for Continuous Improvement Educational Activities (CIEA) of $2,500.

No. However, approval of the TSP-CIF does not guarantee the approval of the Director/Administrator to attend training, conferences, etc. It is the employee’s responsibility to obtain approvals and complete the appropriate district documents when applicable.

Approved applicants who do not intend to utilize awarded TSP-CIA funds are required to notify the Non-Instructional Office as soon as reasonably possible. Notification must be emailed to alex.macri@browardschools.com. Failure to notify the Non-Instructional Office may result in the applicant not being eligible to apply for future TSP-CIF funding.

Once an employee declines the TSP-CIF funds, they are no longer eligible to receive the funds, and any request for reinstatement of funds will be denied. The employee may submit a new application the following year for new consideration for an activity or course taking place within the new program year.

No, the TSP-CIF is a reimbursement fund. The applicant must pay for all expenses and attend the conference in order to receive reimbursement. 

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

At this time, there is no fee assistance for licensure renewals.

Upon request, a copy of the approved application will be forwarded to you using the email address provided in your application.

Approved applicants are to submit a request for reimbursement and all required documentation outlined in the 2024-2025 TSP-CIF REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FORM no later than June 2, 2025 to ensure timely processing.  Follow the reimbursement process outlined in the dedicated portal of the Non-Instructional Website and the 2024-2025 TSP-CIF REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FORM.

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

Refer to the TSP-CIF Guidelines found in the dedicated portal of the Non-Instructional Website.

Approved applicants are to submit ALL required documents for reimbursement using the process outlined in the dedicated portal of the Non-Instructional Website.

The 2024-2025 TSP-CIF REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FORM must be completed in its entirety in order to process payment(s). This form includes a checklist for all necessary documents which must be submitted for reimbursement. Failure to follow and submit all required documentation by the deadline may make the applicant ineligible to receive the reimbursement.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to properly obtain, complete and submit all required documentation and to follow the established process and timelines.

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.

After you have completed and submitted the online application, a confirmation page will state “Thank you. Your responses have been submitted.” It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure the application is submitted and received by the deadline date. Once completed, the applicant MUST click the submit button and wait to receive a confirmation thank you screen for the application to be uploaded. An application is not considered submitted until it is received and acknowledged by the administrator.

The TSP-CIF program reimburses individuals from TSP-CIF budget. Approved applicants have funds transferred from TSP-CIF to their location’s budget. Approved applicants then work with their location in the remitting and processing of their reimbursement.

Note: Activities or courses paid by grants or scholarships do not qualify for reimbursement and reimbursement submissions will not be applicable or accepted. The employee must show documentation/evidence that the activities or courses were paid from a source other than / not from a grant/scholarship. This is based on established business practice and guidance from Accounting & Financial Reporting and the Budget Office.