Travel/Training Resources

Please contact CTM for all your Travel Booking

A Pre-Travel/Training Authorization form is used by an employee or parent/volunteer to request authorization to incur expenses to be paid by the District for the following:

Fill out Pre-Travel/Training Authorization form prior to any travel or training and send to Accounts Payable.

Reimbursements will be issued within 30 days after submitting the signed form with required attachments to Accounts Payable. If you participate in direct deposit payroll, your payment will be issued as a direct deposit.  If your payment is processed as a check, it will be mailed to the address on file on record with human resources, or the finance department if you are contractor or volunteer. 

Review Guidelines for Use of PD Funds - All Employees (2025) prior to making travel/training arrangements.

• Travel of more than 100 miles from Portland on school district business with overnight stay.
• Attendance at a seminar, conference, or course with or without related travel when using Professional Funds or Grant Funds.

---

Per Diem Information:

Per Diem amounts are available only when overnight stay is required for a conference.  The IRS per diem rate is for meals and incidental expenses, which includes fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, bellhops, hotel maids, stewards and stewardesses. The rate is based on the location of lodging.

Meal (Per Diem) is determined by multiplying the appropriate per diem allowance by the number of days of travel. Per diem rates for meals vary per city.

• Per Diem Rates (Domestic)
• Per Diem Rates (Foreign) 
• Per Diem Rates (Alaska/Hawaii

---

The Application of Meal Per Diem:

Requests for per diem for travel days should reflect the IRS ‘first and last day of travel’ rate.  Additionally, per diem requests should be reduced by the appropriate meal value for days when meals are provided for you at no cost.

Application Guidelines for Meal Per Diem  

---

Registration Costs:

• Once travel is approved, employees can process payments for registration through their building or department either with an accounts payable check process or with the building or department PCard.  The employee may also pay for their registration using personal funds and request reimbursement using the employee reimbursement once approved by the supervisor.

---

Travel Advances: 

• Must be requested on your Pre Travel/Training Authorization and approved.
• Will not be issued for per diem, mileage-only reimbursements, registration fees, airfare, or lodging
• Processed 7-10 days before your trip.
• Travel/Training Expense Reimbursement form to clear an advance must be turned in within 45-60 days from the end date of travel.
• Advances not reconciled within 30 days will result in notification to your supervisor and may lead to disciplinary action. 

---

Travel/Training Expense Reimbursement Request:

Upon return from approved travel/training, complete a Travel/Training Expense Reimbursement Request and once signed by appropriate supervisors and coded to the approved account, send it to Accounts Payable at traveldesk@pps.net.

A Travel/Training Expense Reimbursement Request is used by an employee, board member or parent/volunteer to request reimbursements for the following:

• Registration for a seminar, conference, or course that you have attended and paid for, for which you have not received college credit.
• Books or other materials required for a seminar, conference, or course that you have attended and for which you have not received college credit.
• Materials purchases that are reimbursed become the property of the District.
• Travel expenses for any travel more than 100 miles from Portland. This travel may or may not be related to attendance at a seminar, conference or course and must  have a legitimate business purpose.

You should request reimbursement within 30 days after incurring the expenses.  Travel reimbursements that occur at the end of the budget year, June 30, must be submitted for processing no later than July 31 each year or the reimbursement could be denied.

Travel/Training Expense Reimbursements requires backup documentation in order for it to be processed: 

1. A copy of your approved Pre-Travel/Training Authorization form.
2. All receipts for approved expenses that you paid for personally.
3. Receipts to show method of payment and no balance due
4. Proof of Attendance such as name tag, agenda, certificate of completion, etc.
5. If you received a travel advance that exceeded your actual expenses, please include a personal check payable to Portland Public Schools for the overpayment, or notify Accounts Payable so we can provide you with a repayment link for the remaining balance.

Do not include receipts for meals as they were funded with per diem and do not require receipts for reconciliation.