The International Schools Review Forum

My contract says that we get yearly airfare back to our home of record. Does anybody know if it is common for schools to give the money to teachers who do not wish to go home for the summer?

Before I go to the administration I just want to see what other schools are doing. Any insight is appreciated.

At my school, generally not, however, they will look at it on a case by case basis and have come to arrangements in the past.

I have heard different stories depending on the school - essentially it comes down to a "you won't know if you don't ask" situation. Best thing to do is approach your admin and ask the question. They should be able to give you a definitive answer.

seems to me the other teachers at the school will know the policy.

id ask them before asking admin.

We've taught at six international schools - at each one, our home leave allowance was based on the best price the school could find to get us to our home of record and back. We could take the money and try to find a better price on our own going home, thus pocketing the difference, or we could travel elsewhere if we wished. We could also just opt to have them get the tickets for us. We exercised each option at least a couple times.

Scribe has described what seems to me the most common approach. But everyplace is different.
Some schools will only buy a ticket - if you don't want a ticket, you get nothing. I think those are rare situations.
Most schools are more reasonable, recognizing that people's lives and travel needs are very individual.
Ask around your school. It should be easy to find out from colleagues. Hearing from us, strangers in other schools, won't help you if your school uses a policy that doesn't get you what you want.

Our administrator told me she would "work something out," which is encouraging. It seems to me it wouldn't make any difference to the school, because it is the same amount of money either way. It is a lot of money though because tickets to the USA are expensive from here.

We have a new director, and my wife and I have worked here longer than other foreign hires, so I cant really go off precedent since this situation hasn't come up before.

My school gives 1/2 if you do not return to point of origin. Want to go to another country, fine half, want to stay in country and explore, fine half. That settles most disputes. Also half requires no receipts, full fare requires you prove you went to home of record.

My school provides the same lump sum to each teacher, paid half in the fall and half in the spring. Travel or don't - either way you get the money.

My school provides each teacher with a set flight allowance paid in two installments (October and April). It usually covers my roundtrip flight from Eastern Europe to the US at winter break and summer break.

One thing to keep in mind is that the cash equivalent may be fully taxable locally depending on which country you work in, whereas a school-provided ticket would usually not be.

My school has a set amount they give to each teacher, and extra for dependents (very generous amounts - business class amounts). We submit our tickets and they refund us the money assuming it is under the set amount. My wife and I aren't going home this summer, but we are allowed to use the mid contract allowance for travel within that school year.

I have heard legends about schools flying their employees business class (usually just for the first flight into the school & last flight out back home after completing their contract) but is it actually true?

Does anyone know of schools that actually do this? And if so, could you tell us which schools?

A business class ticket for teachers is pretty rare. Some schools will provide full fare economy, which allows the teachers to buy an economy class ticket and pocket the difference.

[quote="indogal"]I have heard legends about schools flying their employees business class (usually just for the first flight into the school & last flight out back home after completing their contract) but is it actually true?

Does anyone know of schools that actually do this? And if so, could you tell us which schools?[/quote]

Some oil company schools do this on start up for the initial contracts, sometimes two flights a year. Teachers who "were there from the start" will be on these deals in some of these schools as they are in on a grandfather clause. Unlikely to apply to new staff.