Board Policy 8103 - Board Members’ Vouchered Reimbursement of Expenses

I. Policy Statement

Members of the Prince George’s County Board of Education (Board) are entitled to be reimbursed for reasonable expenses for travel and other expenses related to the performance of Board duties as permitted by State law.

II. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to Board members regarding appropriate expenditures of public funds.

III. Definitions

1. Base location – Main work location, which for Board members is their home.
2. Board Office – The administrative office in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and predominant location where the Board meets to conduct regularly scheduled business meetings, executive sessions and work sessions.
3. Daily meal expense limitations – Meal expense limitations in a 24-hour period for Board members to obtain reimbursement consist of the following:
   1. Breakfast - $23.00
   2. Lunch - $20.00
   3. Dinner - $33.00
4. Local meals – Meals taken within 30 miles or less from the Board Office.
5. Non-local travel – The expenses and other costs related to the Board member’s attendance at conferences, workshops, or projects which require the member to be in a travel status one or more nights to locations 30 miles or farther from the Board Office.
6. Standard mileage rate – The rate established by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to calculate reimbursement for operating a personal vehicle for official Board business. Mileage will be reimbursed at the prevailing IRS standard mileage rate for miles traveled from the base location to a Board-related activity. As the IRS updates the standard mileage rate, it will be updated automatically in Oracle iExpense.

IV. Standards

1. Section 3-1003(b) of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, provides that a member of the Board may not be reimbursed more than $7,000 in travel and other expenses incurred in a single fiscal year. Any unspent funds from this capped fund at the end of each fiscal year shall revert back to the Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) operating budget to be allocated by the Board for the benefit of the students. Direct payments made by the Board Office for Board members’ professional development conferences aligned with Education Article 3-1004(e) are not considered reimbursements and do not count toward the $7000 cap.
2. No Board member is authorized to possess a Board-issued credit card to cover Board-related expenses. In addition, no Board member is authorized to spend more than $7,000 for allowable expenses. Any expenditures in excess of the total allowance are the responsibility of the Board member. The total allowance of $7,000 will be pro-rated for Board members that are not members of the Board for the entire fiscal year.
3. If a Board member has any doubt about whether a proposed expenditure is allowable, the Board member shall obtain guidance about the expenditure from the Director of the Board Office.
4. The reimbursable expenditures that a Board member is authorized to incur consist of the following:
   1. Installation and monthly charges for base location telephones, fax, and computer lines, cellular phones and other telephone devices used to conduct Board-related business, as well as the cost of local and long-distance calls related to the conduct of Board business. All efforts will be made to provide Board members with the most reasonable, economic telephone plans and cell phone packages.
   2. Education-related materials, books, publications and subscriptions.
   3. Office supplies, postage, and other materials necessary for discharging the duties of the Board members. Board members shall have access to PGCPS’s normal procurement and supply system for the purchase of office supplies.
   4. Board-related travel which includes local and non-local mileage-based reimbursement for the use of a personal vehicle and reimbursement rates established for school system employees, as well as reimbursement for the actual costs of items such as parking, tolls, taxis, buses, airfare, etc. Travel outside the immediate area will be by the most economic means.
   5. The convening and organization of educational and Board-related activities and events.
   6. Printing and distribution of letters, newsletters, and other materials to students, parents and others regarding educational or Board business. Board members should use PGCPS printing services whenever possible.
5. Board members must use prudence and exercise due care when incurring expenses. Expenditures that are not reimbursable to a Board member include the following:
   1. Payment for hire or salary of any individual;
   2. Any personal bills or expenses not related to the Board;
   3. Cash or cash advances except for use on non-local travel;
   4. Alcoholic beverages and/or tobacco products;
   5. Meals not related to Board business;
   6. Expenses related to family member and spouse travel;
   7. Relocation expenses;
   8. Entertainment;
   9. Recreation;
   10. In-flight internet;
   11. In-room movies;
   12. Hotel mini bars;
   13. Laundry services;
   14. Valet services;
   15. Airline membership fees;
   16. Incremental costs over standard size room rate and upgrades;
   17. Cancellation fees where reasonable prudent actions could have been taken to avoid such charges;
   18. First class airline, train or other travel tickets or upgrades;
   19. Rental cars for local travel;
   20. Parking tickets and traffic violations;
   21. Clothing/personal items;
   22. Contributions to support religious or political activities;
   23. Board member compensation in any form from expense account; and
   24. Distributing fliers, mailers, greetings, and/or newsletters, posting signs, purchasing advertisements/, hosting events or any other expenditure aiming to reach voters to promote the Board member’s candidacy for a political office or for any political activity.
   25. Any act of fraud, including reimbursements are for personal business activities unrelated to Board related activities, as set forth in Policy 0109 – Financial Impropriety, Improper Conduct and Whistleblower Protection.
6. Local Meal Reimbursement
   1. Board members may be reimbursed for no more than two (2) local meals in a seven-day period under the following conditions:
      1. A Board member’s local meals may only be paid via expense reimbursement.
      2. A Board member’s reimbursement for local meals shall not exceed daily meal expense limitations.
      3. Board members may be reimbursed for the cost of meals while attending business meetings with constituents, local and state leaders and PGCPS staff.
      4. Board members are authorized to be reimbursed for the cost of their own meals between Board meetings and other official Board business when it is not feasible, prudent or cost effective to return home in the interim.
      5. The following information is required on all meal receipts: names of meeting participants, and the purpose of the meeting.
      6. Board member meal expenses must be within the daily meal expense limitations to obtain reimbursement. Any amount over the approved allocated amount for each meal is the sole responsibility of the Board member.
7. Non-local travel
   1. The following are considered allowable non-local travel costs:
      1. air, chartered bus, and train fare at coach rates;
      2. airport shuttle
      3. taxi service to and from non-local mode of travel;
      4. rental car (if deemed the most economical mode of non-local travel);
      5. airline baggage fees; and
      6. garage parking, tolls, bus or subway fare.
   2. Daily Meal Expenses while on non-local travel shall not exceed the daily expense limitations. Board members should partake in meals that are included with conferences whenever possible. However, a Board member may request reimbursement for meals on arrival/departure travel days that does not exceed seventy-five percent (75%) of the daily meal expense limitation.
   3. Board members may obtain a cash advance for non-local travel to cover the costs for meals and other allowable expenses. The Board member must provide all receipts following the travel. If a Board member is unable to provide receipts to show the proper expenditure of a portion of the advance, the Board member is personally responsible to reimburse the Board.
   4. Attendance at professional development conferences may be covered through either reimbursement or direct payment by the Board Office.
      1. In accordance with Policy 8200 – Professional Development for Board Members, the Board Office will directly fund the cost of professional development conferences that address any of the following subjects:
         1. Community engagement;
         2. Ethics;
         3. Legal issues in education;
         4. Parliamentary procedure;
         5. Public education budgeting and financing;
         6. Role and responsibility of the Board; and
         7. Any other subject determined to be relevant by the Board.
      2. In order for the Board Office to pay for the conference, the Board member must provide documentation that the conference addresses any of the above subjects.
8. Processing Expenses
   1. Board members must submit to the Director of the Board Office all original receipts and supporting documentation for reimbursements on a monthly basis and no later than 30 days after the date of the transaction.
   2. The Director of the Board Office/designee shall process the reimbursement request, checking with the PGCPS budget analyst to ensure that sufficient funds exist in the Board member’s account and referring any discrepancies or questions about individual expenditures or account balances to budget analyst for analysis and recommendation. Should a question arise, the budget analyst may refer a disputed amount back to the Board Office. The Director of the Board Office will then refer the matter to the Board Chair who will refer the question to the full Board for a ruling.
   3. The Director of the Board Office/designee shall then transmit the expense form to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer for processing and payment.

V. Implementation Responsibilities

1. All travel arrangements for Board members to attend conferences and participate in other business activities outside of the local area shall be made by the Director of the Board Office/designee.
2. All requests for reimbursement must be submitted to the Director of the Board Office and accompanied by a receipt or other appropriate documentation, as well as an explanation of the purpose of the expense. It is the responsibility of the Board member to provide appropriate statements to the full Board when supporting documents are not provided.
3. Board members are subject to denial of reimbursement or request for restitution when either appropriate documentation is not provided or expenditures are made that are not deemed as allowable by this policy.
4. The Office of Internal Audit shall provide a full report to each Board member each month containing each Board member’s updated monthly status account report. Monthly telephone statements will be provided upon request.
5. Any questions regarding whether an expense that has been submitted for reimbursement is covered under these provisions shall be referred to the full Board for a ruling. If the Board has a question regarding impropriety or undue influence then the Board will refer the question to the Ethics Panel for an advisory opinion.

VI. References

1. Legal
   CODE ANN., EDUC. § 3-1003(b), § 4-107
2. Other Board Policies
   Board Policy 0107 – Ethics Regulations
   Board Policy 0109 - Financial Impropriety, Improper Conduct and Whistleblower Protection
   Board Policy 4135 – Activities-Organizations - Political
   Board Policy 8200 – Professional Development for Board Members
3. Superintendent’s Administrative Procedures
   Administrative Procedures 4133 – Local Reimbursable Travel
   Administrative Procedures 4134 – Non-Local Travel
4. Other

VII. History

Policy Adopted 11/13/25

Documents

Board Policy 8103 - Board Members’ Vouchered Reimbursement of Expenses.pdf