Purchasing Other Resources
Up to 40% of the credit allocation for each school may be used to purchase eligible learning resources not included in Authorized Learning Resources (ALR), at the discretion and authorization of the school principal.
Authorization for the 40% allocation is made according to the guidelines and procedures specified by the Department in this document.
All reimbursements for 40%’s to individual schools will be paid to the Regional Centre for Education, and they in turn will reimburse to the school.
Roles and Responsibilities
School
The responsibility for the management of the 40% credit allocation rests with the principal of the school.
The principal:
- establishes and manages the evaluation process for selecting learning resources using the appropriate processes and tools provided by the Department
- keeps permanent records of all evaluation results
- approves the purchase of eligible learning resources
- establishes a system for tracking expenditures
- submits receipts together with appropriate documentation to the Nova Scotia School Book Bureau for reimbursement, all reimbursements for 40%’s will be paid to the Regional Centre for Education, and they in turn will reimburse to the school
- adheres to the timelines for requesting reimbursement as set annually by the Nova Scotia School Book Bureau,
- utilizes the school rebate provision to recoup 68% of taxes paid on learning resources
The Nova Scotia School Book Bureau
- reimburses the Regional Centre for Education for each approved expenditure under this allocation plus shipping charges and 32% of the taxes upon receipt of proof of purchases and appropriate documentation (proof of purchase includes paid invoices, receipts, and cancelled cheques)
- provides the Regional Center for Education and school with monthly financial reports on all components of the credit allocation system, including expenditures under the 40% credit allocation
- guarantees 40% credit allocation reimbursements in the current fiscal year for all approved requests received up to the deadline
- reallocated unused portion of the 40% credit allocation after the deadline to the remaining school balance for purchases of authorized learning resources
Eligible Purchases
1. Learning resources may include
- limited quantities of materials that are not listed but reflect the philosophies of the public school programs (maximum of one class set of materials)
- examination copies of materials not included in Authorized Learning Resources
- materials to meet special needs of individuals, groups, or communities
- annual subscriptions to online learning resources or software products (where these resources are purchased and submitted for reimbursement, the submission must be accompanied by proof that the resource has been approved for use, for example a Digital Resource Assessment (DRA))
2. Learning resources may NOT be items included in Authorized Learning Resources.
3. Learning resources may NOT be
- library books
- magazine and other subscriptions
- print encyclopedias
- hardware (such as step ladders, mirrors, building supplies, electrical equipment)
- globes
- maps
- computer hardware
- expendable supplies (such as paper, pencils, rubber stamps, student workbooks)
- lab supplies (such as test tubes, beakers, vials)
- furniture and equipment (such as office equipment, storage and filing cabinets, audio-visual or other media equipment and supplies)
- weights and measuring devices (such as rulers, tape measures, scales, thermometers, stop watches)
4. Learning resources must be consistent with the principles of learning which provide the foundation for public school programs in Nova Scotia and must be evaluated for bias, using the appropriate processes and tools provided by the Department.