Category 5+ information

• >From:  Jinny Sims, Irene Lanzinger, Susan Lambert
  > Date:  May 18, 2007
  > Re:  Category 5+

  TQS is now ready to accept applications for Category 5+.   They are in the process of revising their policies to accommodate the agreement between the BCTF and BCPSEA on criteria for Category 5+.

  The application form is on the TQS website.  Here are a few additional pieces of information:
  The additional pay for 5+ will be retroactive to April 1, 2006 for teachers who met the criteria before that date.

• TQS will indicate on the document they issue, the date at which the teacher met the criteria.
• Boards will then need to pay teachers retroactively.
• Locals will have to ensure that boards are paying the retroactive pay to members who qualified prior to April 1, 2006.
• For teachers who meet the qualifications after April 2006 the regular TQS timelines will apply.

  We now use the term 5+ rather that 5+15 or 5+30 because of the confusion between units and credits. The requirement is 30 semester credits as it states in the criteria. Universities use a variety of systems. TQS is, of course, very familiar with those systems and their equivalency to semester credits.

  The criteria for 5+ allow for 6 semester credits to be courses that are not at the senior level. The purpose is to allow teachers to take courses that are pre-requisites for senior level courses in a program. Please advise your members that the best course of action in determining whether or not courses will count in terms of the criteria is to seek pre-approval by TQS. TQS strongly encourages teachers to seek pre-approval to avoid situations where teachers take courses that are later not approved.