The DeKalb County School District plans to spend tens of millions of dollars through June 2024 to give financial incentives to employees who stay in their jobs.
Board members approved three types of bonuses at their meeting Monday, for a total cost of $41.5 million. The incentives range from $250 to $4,000 per employee, depending on whether an employee is full- or part-time and, in some cases, where a teacher works. Employees could receive multiple bonuses over the next 18 months.
Interim Superintendent Vasanne Tinsley said DeKalb is in a “competitive frenzy” with nearby school districts to hire and then retain staff. DeKalb, the state’s third-largest school district, had roughly 1,200 job openings in the new year, including 242 teacher openings.
“We are hopeful that (the retention bonuses) will help us to stop the bleed,” Tinsley said. “It is important that the employees understand and know that they are valued.”
The largest of the three bonuses will come in the next academic year. Full-time employees will receive between $2,000 and $4,000. Teachers who transfer to parts of the district that have persistent vacancies, as well as to schools with lower academic performance; or who teach subjects that are difficult to staff are eligible for the higher bonuses.
District staff explained more persistent vacancies exist at schools in the southern part of the county, in regions 5, 6 and 7. Those include the schools around Cedar Grove High, Southwest DeKalb High and Towers High.
“We have an issue in some parts of our county,” Tinsley said. “It’s plain and simple.”
But some board members questioned whether it’s fair to group the teachers who get additional pay by region. They proposed adjustments to the plan that would identify specific schools or positions that were eligible for the bonuses.
The board approved the plan on Monday without any changes, with the caveat that next year’s bonuses are contingent upon the budget.
“At the end of the day, we need to do something,” said board member Vickie Turner. “So let’s do it.”
There are some restrictions to the bonuses. For example, new hires are eligible for $3,000 or $4,000 bonuses only if they commit to working for the district for two years.
This year, the district will offer retention bonuses of $1,000, $500 or $250 to employees depending on when they were hired and whether they’re full- or part-time employees.
It’s also increasing its existing bonus for good attendance. Any employee who is absent for two days or less between Jan. 3 and May 24, 2023, will receive $500, up from $300. In December 2022, almost 5,000 employees qualified.
Bonus Breakdown
Spring 2023 retention incentive: issued by Feb. 10, 2023
— $1,000 for all full-time employees hired on or before Oct. 1, 2022
— $500 for all full-time employees hired after Oct. 1, 2022
— $250 for all part-time employees and substitutes who have worked 25 days or more by Jan. 18, 2023
Attendance incentive: issued May 2023
— $500 for any employee who is absent two days or less from Jan. 3-May 24, 2023
Retention incentive for 2023-2024 school year: issued October 2023 and June 2024
— $4,000 for current teachers who transfer to schools in Regions 5-7 or low-performing schools
— $3,000 for new teachers hired by Oct. 1, 2023, who make a two-year commitment
— $4,000 for new math, science and some special needs teachers
— $2,000-$2,500 for bus drivers and school resource officers
— $2,000 for all other teachers and full-time employees
