(a) An eligible member with five years of membership service before the developmental leave occurs may receive retirement service credit for up to two years of developmental leave if the leave was approved as developmental leave in advance by the member's employer and notice of intent to take the leave was filed with the retirement system on or before the date a member began the leave.
(b) The member's employer is responsible for determining whether a member's leave meets the definition of "developmental leave" in Texas Government Code, §823.402(b).
(c) Application for developmental leave credit must be made on or before the leave begins on a form available from the Teacher Retirement System of Texas entitled "Notice of Intent to Take Developmental Leave."
(d) A member desiring developmental leave credit must submit the completed application form, including certification by the member's employer, to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas on or before the date the leave begins. The member must sign a statement on the form that he or she intends to take developmental leave for which credit is desired and must indicate the beginning and ending dates of the leave that has been granted. To be creditable, developmental leave must cover at least 90 days during a school year determined in accordance with the method set forth in §25.131 of this title (relating to Required Service) and in TRS policies implementing that section. After completing the form, the member must submit it to his or her employer for certification.
(e) The employer must certify in the space provided on the application form that the leave satisfies the statutory requirements for developmental leave.
(f) The completed and certified form must be received by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas not later than the date the member's developmental leave begins. The Teacher Retirement System of Texas will acknowledge receipt of the form.
(g) To obtain service credit for the leave after it has been completed, the member must meet the eligibility requirements and pay the required deposits.

Source Note: The provisions of this §25.151 adopted to be effective September 11, 1977, 2 TexReg 3280; amended to be effective September 26, 1979, 4 TexReg 3305; amended to be effective October 16, 1984, 9 TexReg 5092; amended to be effective January 7, 1986, 10 TexReg 4950; amended to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5120; amended to be effective June 15, 1999, 24 TexReg 4459; amended to be effective March 12, 2003, 28 TexReg 2099; amended to be effective September 1, 2011, 36 TexReg 5373