The superintendent of schools, at the direction of the Board of Education, shall maintain and enhance his professional ability relative to the unique concerns and opportunities associated with public education. In carrying out this directive, it may become necessary for the superintendent and the leadership team to incur expenses including, but not limited to, establishing professional relationships with educational experts throughout the country; participating in activities related to and impacting upon public education; and otherwise availing the St. Louis Public Schools district of all resources, benefits and privileges to which it is entitled.

The superintendent of schools and leadership team must adhere to the following provisions whenever it becomes necessary to incur expenses in the transaction of official business of the board:

1. Charitable contributions from board funds are prohibited.

2. Political contributions from board funds are prohibited.

3. In-town or out-of-town travel and entertainment expenses must be allocated solely from the travel and entertainment account, not from the miscellaneous account.

4. Transfers of appropriations to the travel and entertainment account without prior board approval are prohibited.

5. Travel expenses will be reimbursed only if receipts are submitted.

6. Entertainment will be reimbursed only with detailed receipts, including list of persons entertained and the purpose of the entertainment.

7. In-town entertainment or dining expenses between the leadership team and individual staff members will not be reimbursed. Appropriate luncheon conferences with formal agendas or programs between the leadership team and employee groups are appropriate and will be reimbursed. An example of a reimbursable expense would be a luncheon conference between the superintendent of schools and all school principals to discuss the implementation of a new curriculum. An example of a non-reimbursable expense would be a luncheon meeting between the superintendent and an individual staff member to discuss the progress of a school bond campaign.

8. Reasonable per item expenses for out-of-town trips will be reimbursed upon submittal of actual receipts. Any car rental expense must have prior approval from the superintendent or designee. Recognizing that there is considerable variance in costs of lodging, expenses which exceed convention rate or meeting per night plus tax will be reimbursed if it is reasonably directly associated with the meeting place. Food expenses which average market rate per day will be reimbursed per the receipts submitted. Food expenses claimed must be reasonable. Alcoholic beverage is not an allowance expense.

9. All air travel will be reimbursed at coach rates.

10. The superintendent of schools will inform the board (a) before out-of-town travel regarding dates, destination, and purpose of the travel and (b) upon return, with brief report of activities.

11. The leadership team’s expense reports, including receipts, will be reviewed by the board at its monthly business meeting.

12. In-town entertainment or dining expenses between the leadership team and board members will not be reimbursed.

Policy adopted: July 22, 1986

Amended: December 16, 1986

Revised: February 9, 1999

Revised: October 12, 1999