Mountain View Whisman School District

Agenda Item for Board Meeting of 1/30/2025

Agenda Category:  ACTION, DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION

Agenda Item Title:  (Discussion) Out of Town Travel and Conference/Workshop Policy

Estimated Time: 

Person Responsible: 

Rebecca Westover, Ed.D., Chief Business Officer

Background: 

The proposed Travel and Conference/Workshop Policy has been developed to establish clear, guidelines for district employees conducting authorized travel on behalf of the district. The policy aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance with district, state, and federal regulations governing travel and expense reimbursement.

This policy was reviewed by the Budget Advisory Committee and has their recommendation. Multiple existing travel policies of other districts were reviewed to formulate the current recommendation.

The new policy provides comprehensive guidelines for:

• Ensuring travel expenses have an official district business purpose and comply with tax-exclusion requirements under IRS regulations.
• Balancing cost efficiency and reasonable accommodations for employees traveling on district business.
• Promoting transparency in travel approvals, particularly for the superintendent and trustees, whose travel requires board-level authorization.

Key Features of the Policy:

1. Authorization and Approval Process:

   • All travel must be pre-approved by the appropriate authority.
   • Superintendent and trustee travel requires board approval as an agendized item at a board meeting.
   • Out-of-state travel for all employees requires board approval.

2. Eligible Travel Expenses:

   • Reimbursement covers transportation, lodging, meals, and other pre-approved expenses based on reasonable and standard costs.
   • Meal reimbursement follows the General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rates.

3. Limitations and Compliance:

   • Travel must align with district budgetary constraints.
   • Personal expenses and travel upgrades without prior approval are not reimbursable.

4. Superintendent Travel Transparency:

   • To ensure greater accountability, all superintendent travel is subject to board approval at a board meeting, reinforcing the district’s commitment to transparency.

5. Additional Guidelines:

   • Policies for cancellations, use of personal vehicles, and non-reimbursable expenses are clearly defined to minimize ambiguity.

Rationale for Policy Adoption: This policy provides a framework to:

• Promote fiscal responsibility and transparency.
• Ensure all travel aligns with the district’s strategic goals, including support for professional development and district business.
• Address public concerns by instituting robust oversight, particularly regarding senior leadership travel.

Next Steps: The Board of Trustees is invited to review the proposed policy for discussion and adoption. Adjustments, if needed, can be made following feedback from the FCMAT audit, scheduled in the coming weeks.

By adopting this policy in a comming meeting, the district demonstrates its commitment to financial stewardship, accountability, and fostering trust with the community.

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